Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, brows tightly furrowed.
Danzō Shimura remained silent at his side.
This was the second time.
The second time ANBU Team Nine had disobeyed orders.
"Disregarding village affairs and defying orders to rescue Minato Namikaze," Danzō said coolly, a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Hiruzen, this is your ANBU Team Nine."
Originally, Team Nine was supposed to escort Danzō to negotiate with the Stone and Cloud villages.
Instead, every Wood Release ninja had vanished.
Without Team Nine, Danzō didn't dare leave the village.
The reason was simple—
He feared the Uchiha clan would assassinate him on the road.
If Obito were present, the Uchiha wouldn't act.
But the problem was—
Obito left too.
"This wasn't Drake's decision," Hiruzen said slowly, shifting the blame.
"It was Kushina stirring things up behind the scenes."
He already knew Drake had departed from Happy Hot Springs.
That alone told him everything.
"You're the Hokage, yet you can't even mobilize ANBU Team Nine," Danzō continued fanning the flames.
"Tsk tsk…"
"Then what's your solution?" Hiruzen shot back.
"Simple," Danzō replied without hesitation.
"Make them join Root."
"You think they'd obey you?" Hiruzen shook his head.
"That's not your concern. Root has never produced a traitor."
He stopped mid-sentence.
Orochimaru flashed through his mind.
But Orochimaru had been Hiruzen's student—
strictly speaking, that was Hiruzen's mess.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Urgent footsteps echoed as an intelligence ninja rushed in.
"Hokage-sama! Emergency report from the Grass Country border!"
"Hm?"
Hiruzen took the scroll and scanned it rapidly.
Danzō leaned over and read as well.
"Stone ninja crossed through the Land of Grass and launched a surprise attack on our border?!" Hiruzen's pupils contracted sharply.
He had planned to send Danzō to negotiate with Iwagakure today.
They hadn't even left—and the attack had already begun.
"…Good thing I didn't go," Danzō muttered, shaken.
If he'd gone this morning, he would've walked straight into the ambush.
In that sense—
He almost owed Team Nine a thank-you.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Another urgent report.
Both men stiffened.
More bad news?
"Hokage-sama! Intelligence from the Hot Water–Fire Country border!"
Hiruzen read the scroll.
Silence fell.
Kumogakure had launched an attack as well.
At last, Hiruzen understood.
The Sand Village's flanking maneuver—
Was a signal.
A signal for a three-nation coordinated assault.
"The Sand's flanking force was meant to draw out and divert our combat power," Danzō added.
"Don't state the obvious," Hiruzen snapped, rapping the desk.
"So what now?" Danzō sneered.
"…Negotiations," Hiruzen said after a pause.
Nightfall · Supply Station No. 3
Drake's group halted at the third supply station.
"We won't make it back tonight. We move tomorrow."
He glanced at Minato's condition and made the call.
No choice.
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio were being half-supported by Kakashi's group—
While Drake was dragging Minato along.
Under those conditions, speed was out of the question.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several shinobi leapt out from the station, weapons raised—
Then froze.
"…Drake?"
Ibiki Morino stared, then gestured for his team to lower their kunai.
"Little Ibiki, didn't expect to see you still here," Drake greeted casually.
Ibiki coughed awkwardly.
Comparing himself to Drake?
Not even remotely fair.
Under the Tree
Everyone gathered.
"Minato-senpai… your face?" Ibiki asked cautiously.
"It's poison," Minato Namikaze replied weakly.
"The color doesn't matter."
"Antidotes didn't work?"
"No."
Minato shook his head, then explained:
"This poison specifically devours chakra.
Only after consuming enough chakra does the toxicity fully release."
Chakra-devouring poison?
Drake rubbed his chin.
First time he'd heard of something like that.
But that meant—
If someone had enough chakra, the poison was meaningless.
At worst, it would only consume a portion.
With that thought, Drake called out:
"White Zetsu."
"Yes, Drake-sama!"
"Do you have a way to replenish chakra?"
"I do," White Zetsu replied obediently.
"But my technique requires absorbing chakra from others."
"I see."
Drake nodded and placed a hand on White Zetsu's shoulder.
HUM—!!!
A vast surge of chakra poured into White Zetsu.
"So strong—! Such incredible chakra!" White Zetsu gasped in delight.
The sensation was intoxicating.
He even felt himself grow stronger.
After a moment, Drake withdrew his hand.
"Pass it to Minato-sensei."
"What about the other three?" White Zetsu asked.
"They're none of my business," Drake waved it off.
The conversation wasn't hidden.
Every word landed clearly in everyone's ears.
Minato stared up at the tree, looking utterly detached.
Obito snickered, watching the others' reactions.
Kakashi kept a blank face—yet observed quietly.
Yamato shrank his neck, acting inconspicuous.
"…Yep. Same Drake as always," Ibiki muttered, rubbing his forehead.
The most awkward ones were the Ino–Shika–Chō trio.
They exchanged looks.
Drake's words made it painfully clear—
In his eyes, they weren't companions.
Chakra Transfer
Zzzzt—
A spore formed in White Zetsu's hand, rapidly swelling—
fueled by Drake's chakra.
Moments later—
The spore transformed into another White Zetsu.
SLAP—!
Right in front of everyone—
The new White Zetsu latched onto Minato.
Arms wrapped around his waist.
Face pressed against his chest.
A full-body embrace.
"…That's a very intimate way to transfer chakra," someone muttered.
The entire group stood dumbstruck.
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