Land of Rain.
Moisture permeated the air.
At that moment, outside the mountain forest, a squad of Cloud ninja lay in ambush.
"Target confirmed, the Breeding House in northern Land of Rain," the lead jonin whispered softly, slowly forming hand seals.
"Intelligence indicates someone here possesses the means to create Artificial Tailed Beasts. This time, regardless of cost, we must retrieve samples."
Behind him, two jonin and three chunin nodded in unison.
Among the six were jonin skilled in Lightning Release, as well as ninja specialized in sealing and sensory techniques.
Their objective was to seize the source of the mysterious Ninja Beasts in Land of Rain.
As they slowly approached the perimeter of the Breeding House,
Within the shadowy rock walls, a pair of eerie eyes slowly opened.
It was Black Zetsu.
He slid out from the shadows, his body nearly merging with the ground,
His half-black, half-white face appearing particularly sinister under the moonlight.
He narrowed his eyes, watching the figures of the Cloud ninja.
This was a perfect opportunity to see what exactly this Breeding House was hiding.
Black Zetsu's gaze was cold, but deep within his eyes flashed a hint of caution.
He rarely felt this way.
Ever since first approaching the Breeding House, he had noticed his perception would be severely weakened in this area.
This region seemed enveloped by some natural barrier, making his thoughts, perception, and even Chakra flow become sluggish.
It was an unfamiliar, unsettling feeling.
That was why Black Zetsu was concerned about the Breeding House.
Meanwhile, the Cloud squad had completed their formation.
The three chunin first laid out scrolls, forming a four-cornered array, the four connecting as one, lightning bursting from their palms.
Lightning Release: Lightning Dream Disturbance!
Four arc-weaving array nodes materialized in the air,
Lightning snakes crawled through the soil beneath their feet.
Four bolts of lightning simultaneously leaped into the sky,
Thunderclouds abruptly condensed, flashing with thunder.
The lightning gathered in the air into a pillar dozens of meters thick, crashing down toward the valley where the Breeding House stood.
In that instant, the air was scorched, the power of Lightning Release transforming into divine punishment, enveloping everything!
Just as the thunder was about to engulf the Breeding House,
The earth suddenly trembled!
The ground split open, giant trees shooting up at an unbelievable speed!
Branches unfurled, roots entangled, coiling like giant serpents, instantly forming a massive forest curtain!
The lightning struck!
But upon impact with the canopy, it was absorbed and dispersed by countless vines!
Tree after tree turned charred black, yet in the next moment, they regrew!
The power of lightning was completely absorbed by Wood Release, transformed into new life energy!
Amid the roaring, the area where the Breeding House stood remained completely unharmed,
Not even dust was shaken from the wooden sign on its eaves.
As the lightning gradually faded, the charred trunks sprouted green leaves anew, the air filled with a faint scent of vegetation.
The aura of life, extremely pure, yet sent chills down the spines of all the ninja.
With a crash, a giant tree branch burst from the ground,
Instantly wrapping around two chunin, lifting them high into the air!
They screamed, releasing lightning, only to find their Chakra rapidly drained within their bodies!
Everyone sensed that some enormous consciousness seemed to be awakening from beneath the earth.
Roots cracked, soil churned.
Beneath the land protected by Wood Release, a pair of calm yet profound eyes slowly opened.
Nagato.
At this moment, Shiroishi slowly walked out from inside the house.
"Three jonin, three chunin—that's quite a substantial amount of chakra."
Hearing this, Nagato nodded, and as he pressed his hands to the ground, the surrounding plants began to tremble even more violently.
Hidden in the shadows, Black Zetsu was astonished: "Has Nagato mastered Wood Release?"
Hidden Leaf Village.
A faint woody scent filled the room as a small record player slowly turned, its melodious tune flowing through the air.
Minato sat cross-legged, holding a soft towel as he carefully wiped the Ninja Beast Egg resting on his lap.
The egg was entirely golden, its surface seemingly coated with a soft glow, as if embraced by sunlight.
"A little to the left, a bit gentler."
He chuckled to himself, his voice so tender it could almost melt the air.
"I know, you like this rhythm."
Nearby, Kushina Uzumaki leaned against the table, arms crossed, watching the scene with curiosity.
On her back, she carried a round, plump backpack from which came a faint vibration.
It was her Ninja Beast Egg, an egg covered in orange-red patterns, now seemingly drawn to the music as it swayed slightly.
"Does music... really work?"
Kushina tilted her head and asked.
"I feel like you're coaxing a child."
Mikoto Uchiha, carrying a similar Incubation Backpack, sat by the window.
This was a new trend in the Hidden Leaf Village's incubation craze—the Incubation Backpack!
She smiled gently, her tone soft: "Maybe it really does work. After all, these eggs have already resonated with our chakra.
They can sense our emotions and hear our hearts."
Minato looked up, his smile as pure as ever.
"Yes. According to Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade, incubation isn't just about energy—it's also about an emotional bond. The gentler the emotions we give them, the more settled their hearts become.
When the frequencies of our hearts align, the hatching process naturally unfolds."
As he spoke, he lightly patted the eggshell on his lap.
"Music is just one way to help us communicate."
With the rhythm of the melody, the sound waves seemed to transform into invisible chakra rippling through the air.
The atmosphere in the room gradually grew peaceful, and the wind outside softened.
Suddenly, Kushina's backpack gave a light jump, emitting a soft thud.
Startled, she immediately looked down.
The orange-red egg appeared to be pulsing along with the rhythm.
"Eh? Is it responding to the music?"
Kushina's eyes lit up.
She quickly sat down, placed the egg on her lap, and pressed her palm against it.
"Can you hear it? Its heartbeat is so fast."
At that moment, Minato Namikaze's egg...
finally began to react.
A tiny crack meandered from the top of the eggshell.
"Is it about to hatch?"
Minato gazed intently at the golden eggshell before him, his expression turning serious.
"Perhaps it's because the frequency of the music coincides with the chakra waves, stimulating its awakening."
He gently turned up the volume, and the melody shifted from gentle to lively, as if it were the rhythm of life awakening.
The three in the room held their breath, watching closely.
The crack spread from the top to the sides, and with a soft crack, the top of the eggshell gently lifted open!
At the same time, within the Uchiha clan's camp.
Fugaku Uchiha stared gravely at his own Ninja Beast Egg.
That day in the Forest of Death, he had nearly been defeated by Might Duy, but fortunately, he had managed to evade at the last moment.
But the thought that Might Duy had nearly managed to defeat him was something the young master of the Uchiha clan found hard to accept.
During the first round of the Ninja School assessment, Mikoto Uchiha had obtained the Ninja Beast Egg much faster than he did.
This too was something Fugaku found difficult to accept.
Although he liked Mikoto very much, losing to her was something he could not allow.
The honor of the clan, the pride belonging to the Uchiha family, demanded that Fugaku find a way to hatch this Ninja Beast Egg as quickly as possible. For a moment, the distorted mental state characteristic of the Uchiha clan seemed to be affecting the egg before him.
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