The cave was quiet.
Mikoto had just arrived — and immediately reached for his belt.
Drake caught her wrist.
"Madam Mikoto," he said seriously, tugging his trousers back into place, "please maintain some dignity."
She blinked in confusion.
"Isn't that why you called me here?"
Drake exhaled slowly.
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Close your eyes. Focus. Feel carefully."
"Your hand is in the wrong place," she replied calmly.
"Be serious!"
He nearly lost his composure.
She pouted faintly.
"When you needed me before, I was 'Little Mikoto.' Now there are newer girls, and suddenly I'm 'Madam Mikoto'? How heartless."
Drake's eyelid twitched.
"…Looks like I can't avoid this."
What followed was not romance.
It was preparation.
He pressed his will into her chakra network — mixing his own chakra and intent into a sealed technique, embedding it deep within her body.
Mikoto gasped.
"I feel something."
"What do you feel?"
"I'm pregnant with your child."
"Get out."
When she left the cave, her eyes were slightly red.
He had called her shameless right after fastening his belt.
"Send Rin in," Drake instructed flatly.
Mikoto waved lazily and walked away.
Rin entered next.
The moment she stepped inside, she rushed forward and hugged him.
"You haven't protected me in a long time."
Drake sighed inwardly.
Then repeated the process.
Chakra infusion.
Intent weaving.
Seal construction.
"Remember," he said quietly when it was done, "if you ever face a life-threatening situation, release the seal inside you."
Rin nodded seriously.
"I'll remember."
She left, walking slightly unsteadily.
Yugao came in right after, twirling once in a pink sleeveless top.
"Drake, look!"
"…Wasn't that not what you were wearing earlier?"
"That was with a coat," she said proudly.
He didn't comment further.
After a brief but intense exchange, he implanted the same type of emergency seal within her.
"Remember—"
"I know," she cut him off confidently. "Danger. Break seal."
He narrowed his eyes.
"You understand more than I expected."
Last came Hinata Lingyin.
She hesitated near the entrance.
"Drake… I…"
"No need to explain."
He pulled her close.
Of the four, she was the one he felt most drawn to.
Not merely because of her Hyūga bloodline.
But because something about her — her eyes, her quiet strength — reminded him faintly of a future he had once known.
This time, he was more careful.
More precise.
When it was finished, he sealed the final technique inside her.
Four layers of insurance.
Four living contingencies.
He sat alone in the cave afterward, thinking.
With these safeguards in place, the village should survive even if things spiraled.
Which meant…
He could safely search for the day when his age would double.
"If I pinpoint the exact moment… I can avoid it entirely."
His eyes gleamed faintly.
The Next Morning
Drake rolled out of bed and checked his status panel.
Name: Drake
Age: 12
Strength: 14,656 (×)
Constitution: 18,432
Agility: 742
Spirit: 40,960
Chakra Capacity: 74,790
Abilities:
Wood Release — Divine Mastery (Trait: Loyalty)
Ultimate Perception (Range: 100,000 meters)
Overall Combat Rating: Genin
"Strength doubled today."
He clenched his fist.
The air compressed with a sharp pop.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Interesting."
Power Test — Back Mountain
He arrived at the base of the mountain behind Konoha.
Placing both palms against the rock face, he muttered:
"Don't worry. I won't break you."
Then—
He pushed.
The ground groaned.
Cracks spread across the stone.
The mountain resisted for a fraction of a second.
Then—
BOOM.
The entire back mountain shifted.
One full meter.
Rocks tumbled down from the peak in protest.
Drake stepped aside calmly, dust swirling around him.
"…That's it?"
He rubbed his chin.
"This is only static strength."
If he combined it with velocity—
Impact force would multiply dozens… perhaps hundreds of times.
A slow punch and a supersonic strike were two entirely different worlds.
He turned and left.
Missing Teacher
He headed toward Minato's house.
No response.
No chakra signature within ten kilometers.
Drake frowned.
"We agreed to go to Loulan today."
He extended his perception field further.
Nothing.
He walked to a nearby tree and placed his palm against its trunk.
"Find Minato. You know his chakra."
The tree trembled faintly.
"Honored Drake-sama, notifying the clan immediately."
"How many of you are there, exactly?"
"Only around three hundred billion."
"…You're modest."
Moments later—
"Located. Three thousand seven hundred li away. He is flying toward Konoha."
Drake blinked.
"…Flying?"
A second later—
"Correction. He has vanished. He reappeared at Training Ground Nine."
Drake's eyes widened.
"Flying Thunder God…"
Three thousand li crossed instantly.
Training Ground No. 9
Minato was sitting beneath a tree, breathing heavily.
He had consumed a large amount of chakra to execute that long-distance teleportation.
"Jiraiya-sensei… it's not that I didn't want to bring you," he muttered weakly. "I just physically couldn't carry you that far…"
He stood slowly.
Today was important.
He and Drake were going to Loulan.
A matter too critical to delay.
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