Shiki's "teaching support" mission in Sunagakure was progressing smoothly. Aside from briefly returning to the village midway to deliver a jutsu to Konoha Academy, there were no unexpected incidents.
However, a portion of his students awakened an attribute called "liver," and despite their young age, already had strong cultivators' receding hairlines. This worried Shiki about the future genetic quality of Sunagakure's population.
Time passed imperceptibly like this.
Half a year later, inside the Kazekage's office.
Rasa asked in surprise, "Shiki, are you really leaving already?"
Shiki slightly nodded, "I've stayed in Sunagakure for half a year. It's time for me to return to the Academy."
"Only half a year? It's still too early!" Seeing that Shiki remained unmoved, Rasa tried another approach, "Karura is going into labor in two months. At the very least, wait until your little nephew is born before heading back!"
Shiki hesitated for a moment, "Two months... I guess that works."
Rasa smiled, "That's more like it!"
Shiki asked, "Brother Rasa, have you thought of a name for the child yet?"
Rasa's eyes softened with affection, "We'll name him Gaara if it's a boy, Chiharu if it's a girl."
"Those are excellent names." Shiki nodded, then hesitantly asked, "I heard that Brother Rasa plans on making this child the Jinchuriki of One-Tail?"
"How did you know?" Rasa's eyes narrowed angrily, and he immediately cursed, "Are those bastards' mouths completely unsealed?"
"Forget it. After all, Shiki isn't exactly an outsider," Rasa shook his head, then spoke gravely, "Although you may have beaten Shukaku into submission these past six months and kept it from causing trouble, judging from its previous three rampages, its hatred toward Sunagakure runs extremely deep! Under these circumstances, nobody would willingly take on such a difficult burden, so I can only shoulder it myself!"
Shiki asked, "If it's Brother Rasa, you should be able to suppress One-Tail as its Jinchuriki, right?"
Rasa shook his head, "I certainly could do it, but hosting One-Tail won't significantly enhance my power. To create another powerful combat asset for Sunagakure, making my child the Jinchuriki has become a necessary choice!"
Shiki became serious, "But this will be a path full of thorns!"
Rasa clenched his fist, "He was born to carry burdens no ordinary person could imagine! And I believe with my and Karura's guidance, he'll grow into someone strong enough to tame the Bijuu with his own spirit!"
Shiki asked again, "Didn't your wife object to this?"
Rasa awkwardly chuckled, "I haven't told her yet. I'll wait until after the child is born and sealed with One-Tail before telling her."
Just at that moment, a medical ninja rushed in anxiously, reporting, "Lord Kazekage, something terrible happened! Lady Karura has gone into labor ahead of schedule!"
Rasa looked alarmed, "How could this happen? She wasn't supposed to give birth for another two months!"
The medical ninja who came to report shook his head, saying, "We don't know the cause, but it might be due to emotional fluctuations!"
"Emotional fluctuation? That shouldn't be…" As Rasa spoke, his expression suddenly changed, his eyes becoming complicated, "Could she have somehow found out about my plan to make our child the Jinchuriki of One-Tail?"
The medical ninja urged, "Kazekage-sama, you should go see for yourself!"
Rasa finally came to his senses and nodded repeatedly, "You're right. I'll go right away."
In his uneasy state, Rasa hurried off without even saying a word to Seiki.
Seiki muttered to himself, "Karura, huh? I'm somewhat interested in her protection over Gaara!"
...
Outside the delivery room at Sunagakure's hospital.
Rasa, who had rushed over, stopped outside the door. Hearing the screams coming from inside the delivery room, he anxiously paced back and forth just outside.
"Darn it! Everything was fine during the previous two births!"
After only a few minutes, a female doctor wearing a white coat stepped out.
Rasa stepped forward urgently, "Doctor, how is she doing?"
The doctor naturally recognized his identity, "Kazekage-sama, I'm sorry, but Lady Karura is experiencing difficulties with childbirth."
Rasa instinctively took a couple of steps backward in shock. Early labor plus complications during delivery together meant almost certain death.
Thinking about this, he couldn't help but snap, "Then why are you standing here? Hurry up and go save her!"
The doctor remained unfazed by Rasa's outburst and simply sighed, "Even if I go in now, there's not much I can do. I can only try to stabilize the situation and see whether Lady Karura can hold on until Elder Chiyo arrives."
Pausing slightly, she continued, "Also, there's a decision that needs to be made by you, Kazekage-sama!"
Still dazed, Rasa asked, "What kind of decision?"
Looking at him seriously, the doctor said, "If the worst comes to worst, which one would you choose to save—the mother or the child?"
After a moment's silence, Rasa calmly replied with two words, "Save the mother!"
"I understand," the doctor nodded. Just as she was about to say something else, the window suddenly opened and Chiyo jumped in from outside, "Where is she?"
Initially startled by Chiyo's unconventional entrance, the doctor soon responded anxiously, "Elder Chiyo, she's right in here."
Then Rasa watched helplessly as both women entered the delivery room.
"Even though Elder Chiyo often appears unremarkable, she can always be relied upon in crucial moments!" Rasa tried hard to reassure himself. But before long, the door opened again.
When Chiyo emerged with a grave expression, Rasa's heart sank—he dreaded what she was about to say.
Without any pretense, Chiyo directly asked, "Where is he?"
"Who?" Rasa asked puzzledly, "Isn't Karura in there?"
"I'm asking about that kid, Seiki Shimaseki. Isn't he close with you?" Chiyo cast a sidelong glance.
"Seiki?" Again puzzled, Rasa asked, "But isn't he a general physician, not an obstetrician?"
"You fool, don't you know who he is?" Chiyo couldn't help but scold, "He even saved Jiraiya from certain death on the Cloud Village battlefield. His Medical Ninjutsu has even surpassed that of his mentor!"
"Even without experience in obstetrics, his Medical Ninjutsu alone can stabilize Karura's vital signs as much as possible and buy us more time!"
Immediately flustered, Rasa said, "I'll go find him right away!"
"Hurry up."
"Chiyo frowned, 'Karura refuses to give up the child. In this situation, we'll have a hard time saving *her* as well.'"
"Karura, you..." Rasa's heart trembled. "Elder Chiyo, please do everything you can until I return..."
Just then, an angelic voice came from the nearby window. "Big Brother Rasa, are you looking for me?"
Rasa turned around in delighted surprise. "Seiki, what are you doing here?"
"I was a little worried, so I followed along..."
Before he could finish speaking, Seiki was suddenly yanked toward the delivery room by Chiyo. "No time to talk! Get in there right now!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>