The sea wind roared.
Drake stood at the edge of the cliff, bending forward to look down into the valley below.
Empty. Deep. Desolate.
"No wonder we could never locate you… there's barely any vegetation here."
Muttering to himself, Drake prepared to jump.
"We need to plan our tactics first!"
Minato said sternly, standing beside him.
After all, they were about to face Uchiha Madara.
Planning was absolutely necessary.
"Tactics?"
Drake didn't even glance at him—
He simply stepped off the cliff.
FWOOOOSH!
"Drake?! You—!"
Minato was dumbfounded.
This kid just jumped??
At least talk about a plan first!
That's Madara down there!
"Drake… Drake… I truly cannot understand you…"
Minato sighed, covered his face, gathered chakra into his feet—
And jumped after him.
Inside the Cave
Madara stared down at Obito, eyes dark and unreadable.
"Brat… I underestimated you."
"Planting trees was just a cover. You used them to send signals and lure your teammates here."
"Am I right?"
Despite the agony, Obito's eyes shone with pride.
He forced his mangled right arm up and opened his palm.
Inside was a bundle of leaves.
"So it was you! Damn!"
Madara finally confirmed it—
Obito had called for help.
And the ones coming were most likely that Wood Release brat—Drake, along with Minato.
"What a strange Wood Release ability…
He can receive information through trees."
"He may already surpass Black Zetsu in detection."
Madara murmured, realizing Drake's ability was beyond bizarre.
"Madara-sama, there are two of them," Black Zetsu added quietly.
"Oh? Minato as well?"
Madara frowned.
That was troublesome.
If he were still at his peak, he could crush both with one hand.
But now…
BOOM!!
A heavy impact echoed from outside the cave, as if something massive had slammed into the ground.
"Madara-sama, the enemy is here. Should we retreat?" Black Zetsu suggested.
"Retreat?"
Madara shook his head.
He closed his eyes—then snapped them open.
Scarlet Sharingan burned in his ancient face, releasing suffocating pressure.
"At Kannabi Bridge, I retreated."
"And now you want me to retreat again?"
"I am Uchiha Madara!"
For the first time in decades, true battle intent ignited in his eyes.
"Heh… let me see how far these insects have grown."
The Cave Tunnel
When Madara appeared in the tunnel, he immediately saw Drake standing just outside.
At that exact moment—
White Zetsu, who had been silent behind Madara, suddenly stiffened.
His eyes widened.
Then glowed.
Then sparkled—
like he had just seen a divine being descend from the heavens.
Then—
SHLNK!!
Without warning, he stabbed Madara in the kidney with a kunai.
"LORD DRAKE!! I sneak-attacked Madara!!"
White Zetsu shouted proudly, voice echoing through the tunnel.
Madara: "白绝?YOU LITTLE—!"
Madara snapped his head around, face filled with murderous fury.
He had forgotten.
This idiot always betrayed him the moment he saw Drake.
Drake vs. Madara
Drake had just stepped out of the crater he created upon landing when he saw Madara get backstabbed.
He froze—
Then vanished.
FWIP!
His speed instantly maxed out.
Madara spun back toward Drake—
Sharingan blazing.
"Genjutsu."
The illusion hit instantly—
The kind that could trap even Kage-level shinobi.
Madara expected Drake to freeze.
But—
Drake didn't pause.
Didn't react.
Didn't even BLINK.
He just punched.
A horrifying burst of wind pressure exploded from his fist.
"Wha—?!"
Madara's pupils contracted to needle size.
This brat… was completely unaffected?!
Was his Sharingan fake??
SPLAT!!!
Madara's head burst like a watermelon.
The decapitated body remained standing, kunai still stuck in its kidney.
Drake looked around.
"Hm? Where's Black Zetsu?"
He scanned with his senses—
Nothing.
"That 100-meter range really is too small…"
He sighed.
Crunch.
Drake casually stepped on Madara's body, then turned to White Zetsu.
White Zetsu was trembling with joy.
And also blushing for some reason.
"Gr-great Lord Drake!! White Zetsu reporting for duty!"
"Mm. Good job."
Drake patted his shoulder approvingly.
"I'll die for you gladly!"
"Go check on Obito."
Following his senses, Drake entered the chamber—
And burst out laughing.
Obito had been wrapped so thickly in bandages he looked like a mummy—
Only two big, watery eyes blinking at him.
The moment Obito saw Drake, tears overflowed.
"Uuuu… uuuuu…"
He sobbed nonstop, shaking and grimacing with pain and happiness.
FWIP!
Minato finally arrived.
He immediately looked around, alert.
"Drake—where's Uchiha Madara?"
"Oh? I killed him," Drake replied casually.
"Killed him? Where's the corpse?" Minato asked, frowning.
"Crap!"
Drake sprinted into the tunnel.
Nothing.
Empty.
"NMLGBD!!"
Drake cursed loudly.
"Izanagi…"
He sighed.
He had been careful.
He even crushed Madara's chest.
But he forgot Uchiha's infamous cheat skill.
"If only I didn't rush to check on Obito and guarded the corpse…"
"…Forget it."
A moment later—
Drake came out carrying Obito on his back.
"Uuuuuu…"
Obito kept crying, tears streaming endlessly.
"Obito, that's enough."
"Uuuu…"
"Your tears are going down my neck."
"Uuu—"
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