"Yo, everyone's here already?"
Evan lifted a hand casually as he stepped through the door.
"Evan, you've arrived." Minato visibly relaxed.
"You're always so slow," the pregnant kunoichi muttered, shooting Evan a dissatisfied glance.
Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged looks with the two elders.
No expression.
No friendliness.
They didn't like Evan.
More accurately — they feared him.
Evan first nodded politely to Minato.
Then he rolled his eyes at Kushina, earning an immediate glare from her.
As for the three elders… he ignored them altogether.
Once Evan entered, Hiruzen cleared his throat and spoke:
"Minato, Evan is here. We can now discuss arrangements for Kushina's delivery."
Because this involved the Nine-Tails — Konoha's most important strategic asset — the Third and the two elders took it extremely seriously.
In their opinion, a jinchūriki should neither marry nor become pregnant.
They should live out their lives alone…
Until the next host replaced them.
But—
Her husband was the Hokage.
So, faces were sour all around.
Minato continued calmly:
"May I ask what the Third has planned?"
"The delivery cannot take place inside Konoha," Hiruzen said, glancing at Kushina.
"Too dangerous.
If the Nine-Tails loses control, the consequences would be catastrophic."
"Old man, I can control the Nine-Tails just fine!" Kushina protested.
"Kushina," Koharu interjected sternly, "a woman is weakened during childbirth — and the Nine-Tails' chakra will make it worse. You will not have the strength."
Minato remained calm, unfazed.
"In that case, we can choose a location outside the village."
Hearing her husband agree, Kushina pouted but said nothing more.
Hiruzen smiled kindly — though the smile never reached his eyes.
"Rest assured, Minato, I will assign ANBU and prepare sealing barriers.
Everything will be airtight."
"And," he added, "I will have my wife, Biwako, stay with Kushina to ensure safety."
"Tch."
Evan couldn't help the soft snort that slipped out.
Your wife will be the first one killed…
He kept that thought to himself.
Hiruzen frowned slightly and turned toward Evan.
"Evan, do you have any objections?"
"Me?"
Evan shrugged. "No objections. Just do what you want."
Minato quickly stood and bowed toward Hiruzen.
"Then I must thank Lady Biwako."
He deliberately smoothed things over — preventing a direct clash between Third Hokage and Evan.
He knew well that Hiruzen disliked Evan deeply… for many reasons.
Hiruzen, satisfied with Minato's attitude, nodded and dismissed Evan entirely from his attention.
Minato then turned toward Evan again.
"When the time comes, I hope Evan-kun will be present."
"Anything's fine with me."
Evan shrugged again. He truly didn't care about this meeting.
His gaze, however…
Lingered subtly on the pregnant kunoichi.
There was interest there.
"Then it's settled."
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe.
"Kushina will deliver in about half a month. I will have ANBU prepare in advance."
Minato agreed.
Evan rolled his eyes internally.
A retired Hokage still controlling ANBU… shameless old man.
"Now then, Kushina, please step out," Hiruzen said, turning toward her.
"We need to discuss other matters."
"Huh?" Kushina's brows knitted.
"Why do I have to leave?"
"Kushina," Elder Homura said flatly, "we need to discuss inter-village matters."
Kushina's temper immediately rose.
She pointed straight at Evan.
"Then why doesn't he have to leave?!"
Evan, who had been idly admiring the curve of her figure, sighed.
"If necessary, I can leave as well.
Minato can call me back later."
"Wait, Evan."
Hiruzen's tone hardened.
"This concerns the Scorch Release kunoichi from Sunagakure — Pakura.
You captured her.
You've interrogated her for a long time.
We need your report."
Evan gave Kushina a helpless little shrug.
As if to say: See? They won't let me go.
Kushina wanted to argue further, but Minato gently took her hand.
"Kushina, go home for now. You need rest."
"You…"
Kushina glared at her husband — but Minato's gentle expression deflated her frustration.
"Hmph!"
She huffed, placing a hand protectively on her belly as she left.
As she walked past Evan, a soft fragrance drifted by, brushing against his senses.
It tickled his nose.
He knew Kushina well.
Before pregnancy, she'd been slim, lean, almost too wiry.
Even her chest had been rather flat.
But now—
Kushina had blossomed into a breathtaking, mature beauty — curved, warm, radiant.
Evan's eyes glimmered faintly.
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