The Hokage Building lay in ruins.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood amid the shattered stone and rising dust, his face solemn as he listened to six injured ANBU give their report.
"Lord Hokage, it was that Drake."
"He threw dozens of explosive tags!"
"That guy is too dangerous — he acts without any restraint!"
"This was the Hokage Building! How dare Drake do such a thing?!"
"Lord Hokage! Please detain Drake immediately!"
The six ANBU were furious, practically trembling with rage.
Ever since joining ANBU, they had never seen such an arrogant, audacious ninja.
Hiruzen frowned deeply.
Drake blew up the Hokage Building?
Just for a scroll?
No matter how he thought about it, that reason sounded extremely far-fetched.
"Someone, summon Squad Nin—"
Before he could finish, Squad Nine walked straight into view.
The six ANBU froze instantly.
"…They didn't run?"
"They actually dared to come back? What guts!"
"Lord Hokage! Capture them!"
But Hiruzen didn't move.
He wouldn't act based on a single side's accusations.
He had to hear Squad Nine's version.
As soon as Squad Nine approached, Anko immediately pointed at the six ANBU.
"Lord Hokage! They blew up the building! Hurry and arrest them!"
Hiruzen: "???"
ANBU: "???"
Hiruzen felt his blood pressure rising.
The scene devolved instantly into a screaming match.
"Hmph! YOU blew up the Hokage Building and now you dare frame us! I think you're just jealous of our Squad Nine!" Anko shouted with her hands on her hips.
"Brat! Don't spout nonsense! It was obviously Drake! You're the ones biting back at us!" an ANBU retorted.
"Bullshit! Drake didn't even bring explosive tags! How could he blow up a building?" Rin added righteously.
"He took them from YOUR hands! You think we're blind?" ANBU glared.
"Nonsense! Rin didn't bring any tags at all. You're just making things up," Uzuki Yugao stepped in.
"Her tags already exploded — that's why she doesn't have them!"
More and more ninja gathered around to watch the chaos.
Minato arrived.
Danzo arrived too, escorted by ROOT shinobi.
What they saw was Squad Nine shouting at six ANBU like fishmongers in a marketplace.
Everyone was confused — they had no idea who actually blew up the building.
Both sides were too firm in their claims.
"Hiruzen, just conduct a lie-detection test," Danzo suggested.
"...We can only do that," Hiruzen nodded.
Under countless watching eyes, the six ANBU and Drake were brought forward.
Danzo questioned them.
"You six accuse Drake of blowing up the Hokage Building, correct?"
"Yes! It was him!"
They all nodded instantly.
"Very well."
Danzo exchanged a look with Hiruzen before calling into the crowd:
"Yamanaka Haiichi — we need your assistance."
Haiichi stepped out.
This made Minato tense.
He knew Drake's personality well.
Doing something as outrageous as blowing up the Hokage Building… Drake honestly might do it.
Verbal arguments could cause confusion —
but once a Yamanaka lie-detection jutsu was used, everything would be exposed.
"If it really was Drake… I'll have to secretly extract him."
Minato discreetly tightened his grip on a kunai.
In the center—
Danzo turned toward Drake.
Before Danzo could even ask, Drake raised a hand casually.
"Wasn't me."
Danzo: "???"
I haven't even started questioning yet! Why are you answering already?!
Hiruzen waved his hand.
"Begin the lie detection."
Haiichi formed a series of seals, arms spreading like the Mind Transfer Technique.
"Ready."
Meaning:
The jutsu was active — lies would be detected instantly.
One ANBU stepped forward confidently.
"Drake! You're finished! You're—"
"Speak to the point!" Hiruzen barked.
Being scolded by the Hokage didn't shake him — he knew he'd be proven innocent in seconds.
"Drake! Did YOU blow up the Hokage Building?!"
Drake shook his head, voice righteous.
"No. YOU blew it up and are trying to frame me."
The ANBU smirked.
A lie?
Under a Yamanaka lie-detection?
You idiot. You're finished. Completely finished!
Everyone looked at Haiichi.
He trembled slightly under the pressure —
but as the new clan head, he forced himself to stay calm.
"Drake… is not lying."
The moment the words dropped—
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!
ROOT shinobi burst out from the sides, killing all six ANBU instantly.
"You… bas—"
The ANBU in front of Drake managed only three words before collapsing to his knees.
Drake sighed.
"Tsk. You guys sure worked hard trying to frame me."
Hands in pockets, he walked away casually.
"See?! Justice always prevails!" Anko declared proudly, chasing after him.
"We're finally cleared— ptoo! I mean, proven innocent!" Yamato shouted excitedly.
"Why did these six try to frame Drake…?" Kakashi muttered thoughtfully before following.
"Wait for me!" Rin hurried after them.
"And me!" Yugao followed last.
Back in the ruins—
Hiruzen stared at the six corpses and fell into deep thought.
He had heard Kakashi's earlier question —
and it was exactly what he was thinking.
These were ANBU.
Why would six ANBU frame Drake together?
Who ordered them?
Then suddenly—
Hiruzen froze.
These six…
were killed by ROOT.
He slowly turned toward Danzo.
"Was it to silence them…?" he murmured, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Framing Drake… in order to destroy ANBU… and then next…"
"…to make a move on ME?"
He couldn't help thinking that way.
In all of Konoha, only Danzo had the authority and influence to make six ANBU betray together.
At that moment—
Danzo turned around and met Hiruzen's stare.
"Hiruzen… your ANBU is already falling apart. Why not transfer Drake's team into ROOT instead…?"
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