Drake withdrew his hand from the tree trunk.
"So the Wood Clone's way of thinking still differs slightly from my own."
After synchronizing memories with the clone, Drake couldn't help but chuckle.
If he had to describe it, the Wood Clone's intelligence was… slightly lacking.
Of course, that wasn't a big problem.
At most, it had just wiped out a batch of Iwagakure shinobi.
Suddenly—
Drake's expression shifted.
His hand snapped out casually, catching a small stone falling from above.
He lifted his head toward the mountain peak and sighed.
"Rear Mountain, your way of greeting people is really… unique."
Shaking his head, Drake turned and headed toward the ANBU Headquarters.
ANBU Headquarters · Main Hall
Drake sat at a desk, pen moving swiftly as he sketched on paper.
White Zetsu stood nearby, watching with intense focus.
Soon, a portrait was completed.
"White Zetsu," Drake said calmly, "I have a special mission for you."
"Drake-sama, White Zetsu lives to serve you."
"…Hm?"
Drake froze and looked at him suspiciously.
"Where did you learn that line?"
"My clone's girlfriend says it like that," White Zetsu replied proudly.
Drake: "???"
You don't even have proper anatomy and you've got a girlfriend?
Drake immediately concluded that this "girlfriend" was probably blacker than charcoal.
To be safe, he asked anyway.
"What's her name?"
"She's my clone's girlfriend, not mine," White Zetsu corrected him seriously.
"Her name is Muzi. She used to work in the service industry and just returned to the village. She's childhood friends with the ninja my clone is impersonating."
"I see…"
Drake nodded.
So she'd "gone ashore." That explained everything.
Then Drake got to the point.
"Memorize the face in this portrait."
"I've got it," White Zetsu nodded firmly.
"Next," Drake said slowly,
"your main body will defect from Konoha under the identity of Liuli."
"…What?" White Zetsu was stunned.
He was loyal to Drake—how could he defect?
"Fake defection," Drake emphasized.
"Understand?"
"Oh! Got it!" White Zetsu suddenly realized.
"After defecting, do not reveal your true form. Maintain the appearance of Liuli at all times. Then hide in the Land of Rain."
Drake pointed at the portrait.
"When you encounter the person in this image, contact me through your clone."
After explaining the task, Drake infused his will into White Zetsu's body.
This will carried two traits:
Earth Meld
Genjutsu Resistance
He also implanted several spores, allowing White Zetsu to replenish chakra at any time.
"Drake-sama… may I defect now?" White Zetsu asked.
"Go."
Zzz—
White Zetsu sank into the ground and vanished.
Drake picked up the portrait and smiled faintly.
"Nagato… don't blame me."
"I won't kill you."
"I'll just take your eyes."
With that, he crushed the portrait into dust.
Drake's goal was clear—
find Nagato, the bearer of the Rinnegan secretly implanted by Uchiha Madara.
"I really want to see the look on Madara's face after I dig out Nagato's Rinnegan."
In Drake's eyes, Madara was full of exploitable weaknesses.
Before, Drake had been too busy with missions to deal with him.
Now?
He had plenty of time.
ANBU Headquarters
Kakashi returned and found Drake standing in the hall.
"Huh? Weren't you sleeping in the office?" Kakashi asked.
"Sleeping?" Drake's mouth twitched.
"That was my Wood Clone."
"Oh… that explains it."
No wonder the Drake in the office was sleeping face-down—
it was just a lazy clone.
"Perfect timing," Drake said.
"Something important?" Kakashi straightened.
"Gather Team Nine immediately," Drake ordered.
"Stage a symbolic pursuit of Liuli."
Kakashi pondered briefly.
"…How symbolic?"
"Just for show."
"Understood."
Kakashi vanished in a flash.
Happy Hot Springs
When Drake entered, he froze.
Eight women sat around the dining table:
Kushina
Minae
Hinata Suzune
Mikoto
Rin
Anko
Yugao
Kurenai
One seat remained empty.
"Drake!" Rin lit up.
"It's Hokage-sama now!" Anko corrected.
"I think Well-Digger suits him better," Yugao muttered quietly.
Luckily, no one heard that.
"Our Hokage is finally here," Kushina laughed. "We've been waiting forever."
"You were… waiting for me?" Drake asked, stunned, sitting down.
Was this a women's summit?
"You must be starving after work," Minae said gently, handing him rice.
"Chopsticks," Suzune added softly.
"You should drink first," Mikoto said, lifting a cup to his lips.
Before Drake could speak—
Gulp.
He drank it.
Then chaos erupted.
Rin picked dishes for him.
Anko added dango.
Yugao dumped an entire plate into his bowl.
Food spilled everywhere.
Drake took a deep breath and put the bowl down.
"I preferred you all the way you used to be," he said seriously.
"Can you stay true to yourselves?"
"Tch, I knew he wouldn't like this," Anko muttered.
"But you're the Fourth Hokage now…" Rin said softly.
"He hasn't changed," Yugao sighed in relief.
Dinner passed painfully.
Drake wisely stayed silent and kept eating.
Then—
"You've got oil on your mouth," Kurenai said, wiping it gently.
Every woman froze.
Why is she doing that?
Sensing danger, Drake quickly spoke.
"Ahem—Minae, I need something from you."
"Yes?" Minae smiled.
"Estimate the damages to the Land of Hot Springs and report them.
The Raikage already agreed to compensation."
"…What?!"
Minae covered her mouth in shock.
She never imagined Drake would demand compensation for her homeland.
After dinner, Kurenai prepared to leave.
"I'll walk you," Drake said politely.
"I will!" Anko immediately blocked him.
Kurenai was escorted out—forcefully.
That night, Drake was given a private room.
Only later did he realize—
Everyone else was squeezing into two rooms.
Suspicious.
That night…
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Drake lay awake afterward, deep in thought.
"Why seven…?"
"…Did someone come twice?"
The Next Morning
Drake checked his status panel.
Today's doubled stat: Constitution.
His mood was excellent.
An Abandoned Cave
Danzō crouched silently.
Uchiha Madara stood by an operating table.
"You cannot grow stronger without transplantation," Madara said coldly.
"The survival rate is too low," Danzō refused.
"I won't accept it."
Madara threatened him with genjutsu.
Danzō was ready.
Then—
Black Zetsu emerged.
"Madara-sama, new intel from Konoha."
Madara read it—and his face darkened.
"Twelve years old… suppressing five Kage…"
"What a terrifying secret."
Another White Zetsu appeared.
"Drake's Wood Clone annihilated the Sand Shinobi army."
Clatter.
The scroll fell from Danzō's hand.
"One clone… wiped out an army?"
Danzō finally made his decision.
"…Do it."
"Begin the transplantation."
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