After parting ways with his disciple Drake, Minato Namikaze returned home.
"These ten scrolls are far too important," Minato muttered to himself.
"They must be stored with extreme care."
He knew better than anyone what those scrolls represented.
They were nothing less than Drake's complete combat power.
If all ten were unsealed at once, their combined might would be enough to erase a village—multiple times over.
After thinking for a moment, Minato made his decision.
Training Ground No. 9
Standing beneath a familiar tree, Minato dug an exceptionally deep pit.
Once it was finished, he placed the scrolls inside.
"Toad Concealment Barrier Technique!"
As his hands formed seals, a transparent barrier enveloped the pit.
Humm—
A strange fluctuation rippled outward, and the pit vanished without a trace.
This was a Myōboku Mountain–exclusive concealment barrier—
even sensory perception could not detect it.
"At this point," Minato murmured,
"only Jiraiya-sensei and I can open this place."
As a final safeguard, he placed a Flying Thunder God kunai inside.
Only then did he turn and leave.
As Minato exited the training ground, his steps abruptly halted.
"…This feeling?"
A powerful pulling force suddenly seized him.
"Reverse Summoning!"
Having identified the source, Minato relaxed his resistance.
Bang!
His figure vanished.
Mount Myōboku
Jiraiya stood nearby as Gamabunta finished summoning Minato.
"Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato asked.
"Minato," Jiraiya said urgently,
"the Great Toad Sage wants to see you."
Seeing his teacher's expression, Minato didn't hesitate and followed him deeper into the mountain.
Inside the Great Cavern
Minato stepped into a massive stone chamber.
There, an enormous toad sat calmly, a giant pipe clamped in its mouth.
Puff—
A cloud of smoke drifted out as the Great Toad Sage looked at him.
"Great Toad Sage," Minato bowed respectfully.
"So you're Minato Namikaze…" the sage said with a sigh heavy with age and experience.
"Yes. May I ask why you summoned me?"
"Hmmm…"
The sage pondered for a moment, then glanced at Jiraiya.
"What are you still doing here? Get out."
"Huh?" Jiraiya froze.
Was he just a messenger now?
But seeing the sage's displeasure, he could only turn and leave.
Soon, only the Great Toad Sage and Minato remained.
"Minato," the sage said gravely,
"I need you to answer me truthfully."
"Please ask," Minato nodded.
"How many scrolls do you have?"
"…?"
Minato's expression stiffened.
Scrolls?
Did he mean the ones Drake gave him?
"I'm not sure which you're referring to," Minato replied carefully.
"Cough, cough—"
"The sealing scrolls that release Wood Release."
"…How do you know about those?" Minato asked, stunned.
Those scrolls had only been handed to him this afternoon.
The sage exhaled another smoke ring.
"I dreamed again," he said calmly.
"In that dream, you used a Wood Release scroll."
"…Is it connected to your previous prophecy?" Minato pressed.
"Yes."
The Great Toad Sage nodded.
"That's why I must confirm this. How many Wood Release scrolls do you have?"
"Two," Minato answered honestly.
"Only two…" the sage murmured, visibly relieved.
He fell silent, smoking and thinking.
After a moment, he spoke again.
"Minato, these two scrolls are extremely important.
I suggest you hide them inside a summoning beast."
Minato frowned.
To be honest, he didn't understand.
Inside a summoning beast… meaning inside a toad.
But he had already concealed them with a Myōboku barrier at Training Ground No. 9—
a location no one else could discover.
And if the village were attacked, he could instantly reach the spot using Flying Thunder God.
Why complicate things?
"I don't think that's necessary," Minato said, shaking his head.
"You are too arrogant," the Great Toad Sage sighed.
"I foresee Konoha's future, yet you refuse to trust me."
"That's not it," Minato replied calmly.
"I simply already have a plan."
"…Enough," the sage said coldly.
"Leave."
"I understand. Goodbye."
As Minato's figure disappeared, the Great Toad Sage narrowed his massive eyes.
Moments later, Jiraiya returned.
"Jiraiya," the sage said,
"go back to Konoha. Find the two Wood Release scrolls Minato has hidden."
"…What?" Jiraiya blinked.
If Minato hid them, why not just ask him directly?
Why make him search?
"Those scrolls are critical," the sage said firmly.
"You must find them and bring them to me."
"…Alright," Jiraiya nodded.
This sounded easy enough.
After all—
Minato was his disciple.
Konoha — Back Mountain
Four women stood in front of Drake, all completely bewildered.
"I thought we were under attack," Mikoto said, rolling her eyes.
"So this was you?"
"But how did we get here?" Yugao asked in confusion.
"All I remember is being tied up by tree branches… and then suddenly appearing here," Rin added.
"Was that space–time ninjutsu?"
Drake turned toward Hinata Suzune and smiled.
"And you?"
"I… I know," Suzune said softly.
"Oh?" Drake gestured for her to continue.
"Your Wood Release only needed to touch us," she said carefully.
"After that, you used your mental will to move us here."
"Excellent observation," Drake praised.
"Well done, Hinata Suzune."
She was correct.
Drake had used Wood Release as a medium, then relocated them through mental dominion.
But that required chakra contact first.
"I still don't get it," Rin insisted.
"Isn't this still space–time ninjutsu?"
"No," Drake shook his head.
He decided to explain plainly.
"I linked you with Wood Release.
My mental will then flowed through it and enveloped you."
"At that moment, all four of you existed inside my mental domain."
"When my mind returned… you came back with it."
The women finally understood.
"So mental will can be used like that?" Yugao murmured in awe.
"I'm jealous…" Yugao sighed.
"I don't have mental will."
"Me neither," Rin agreed.
"That's not something ordinary ninja can possess," Mikoto said with a smile.
"…But Drake does," Suzune muttered.
After the chatter died down, Drake's expression turned serious.
"You three wait here," he said.
"Mikoto—come with me."
"…Eh?"
Though confused, the women didn't question him when they saw his seriousness.
Inside a Mountain Cave
Under the dim sky, Drake led Mikoto into a cave.
The moment they stepped inside—
Mikoto suddenly moved.
Drake looked down at her, his face instantly darkening.
"…Why are you taking off my pants?"
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus (KH)Chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus (KH)Chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 60 (KH)Chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/SwipeSage