At the entrance of Konoha.
Drake waited for about ten minutes.
With a flicker of space, Minato appeared — wearing a faintly helpless smile.
"I thought you'd already arranged things before leaving."
"Arranged what?" Drake asked innocently.
"You're leaving the village. Someone has to handle temporary administration," Minato said, shaking his head. "Fortunately, I found Fugaku. He's covering things for now."
"As long as you handled it, Sensei, I'm not worried."
Drake shrugged.
The two rose into the sky and left the village.
Hokage Office
Uchiha Fugaku sat behind the Hokage's desk, still feeling slightly unreal.
He truly hadn't expected that Drake would have Minato personally invite him to handle village affairs.
"…What have I done to deserve this?"
He sighed — then picked up a document.
Within one second, he slipped naturally into the role.
Meanwhile — 3,000 Li Away
Jiraiya was running at full speed.
Minato had told him the scroll location.
Right now, the only difficulty was distance.
"This mission's easy," he muttered while sprinting. "The only trouble is the travel."
Noon — Land of Wind
After flying the entire morning, Minato finally descended.
He had already burned through a large amount of chakra earlier when using Flying Thunder God.
Landing beneath a tree, he leaned back to rest.
Drake touched down beside him.
"Sensei… looks like you still need more training."
Minato coughed awkwardly.
"I just returned from Mount Myōboku. Used Flying Thunder God multiple times. The consumption was heavy."
Drake raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? You were summoned to Mount Myōboku too?"
"Yes," Minato nodded. "The Great Toad Sage wanted to see me. He asked some… strange questions."
Drake's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Like?"
"You gave me ten scrolls yesterday. The Great Toad Sage knew about them."
Drake froze.
No third party had been present when he handed Minato those scrolls.
"How did he know?" Drake asked.
"He said… he saw it in a dream."
Minato paused.
"He even specifically mentioned the Wood Release scroll."
Drake narrowed his eyes.
"Tell me everything. Exactly how the conversation went."
Minato repeated every word.
And Drake fell silent.
Wood Release scroll.
His disappearance.
Konoha under siege.
The prophecy.
Piece by piece, Drake's mind began assembling the pattern.
After a moment—
He smiled.
"So that's it."
Minato recognized that expression immediately.
"You've figured something out."
"I've figured out a possibility."
"Say it."
Drake's tone became calm.
"Sensei… I'm beginning to doubt the authenticity of that prophecy."
Minato blinked.
"You don't believe the Great Toad Sage?"
"I did before," Drake said quietly. "Now I don't."
He remembered something ancient.
A thousand years ago, the Great Toad Sage had guided Hagoromo and Hamura to seal their mother — Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
Why?
There was only one plausible motive.
Planetary energy.
Kaguya's Divine Tree had been absorbing the planet's life force.
Meaning—
The so-called prophecy may not be divine will.
It may be planetary will.
And if that were true—
Then Drake himself was now the greater threat.
Compared to Kaguya's steady extraction…
His growth was explosive.
In time, he would reach a level capable of shattering worlds.
If the planet's will once intervened against Kaguya—
Why wouldn't it intervene against him?
Under this assumption, everything aligned perfectly.
The Great Toad Sage summoning Minato.
Inquiring about the scrolls.
Creating conditions for contingency planning.
Even Drake's upcoming trip to the Dragon Vein…
Perhaps it was part of a larger manipulation.
Drake turned slowly toward Minato.
"Sensei. Does anyone else know where you hid the scrolls?"
"Jiraiya-sensei asked me," Minato replied. "Only he knows."
Drake smiled faintly.
"As expected."
Minato frowned.
"What are you thinking?"
"We're turning back."
Minato stared at him.
"We're almost at Loulan."
"Turn back," Drake repeated.
He cultivated a white spore midair.
It rapidly expanded and attached itself to Minato's waist.
Minato looked down at the White Zetsu form clinging to him.
"…You really like this method."
They began flying back toward Konoha.
Midair Conversation
Minato finally asked,
"You think the scrolls will be stolen?"
"Yes."
"That's impossible. I placed them within a Mount Myōboku concealment barrier. Not even the Byakugan can detect it."
Drake chuckled.
"Let's make a bet."
"About what?"
"I bet Jiraiya will retrieve the scrolls and take them back to Mount Myōboku."
Minato stiffened.
"If that happens… something is seriously wrong."
Drake nodded.
"Why do you think the Great Toad Sage instructed you to place the scrolls inside a summoning beast?"
Minato fell silent.
Previously, he would have believed it was for safety.
Now…
Doubt crept in.
"If Jiraiya-sensei truly brings them to Mount Myōboku…" Minato's tone grew heavy, "then Mount Myōboku might intend to use those scrolls against you."
Drake smiled.
"You're very perceptive today, Sensei."
Minato rolled his eyes.
"Was I ever not smart?"
"You were," Drake replied calmly. "You're just overshadowed by me."
Minato snorted.
Then, more seriously—
"Why would Mount Myōboku target you?"
Drake shrugged.
"Perhaps… because I'm too strong."
Minato thought about it.
Drake had never antagonized Mount Myōboku.
If conflict existed…
Strength was the only logical variable.
After a long pause, Drake asked:
"If I become enemies with Mount Myōboku… which side would you stand on?"
Minato didn't hesitate.
"Yours."
His answer was immediate. Absolute.
"You are the Fourth Hokage of this village. Anyone targeting you is targeting Konoha. And I'll fight them."
He added:
"Not just me. The entire village would support you."
Drake's expression softened.
"…Having a good teacher really is fortunate."
Minato blinked.
"There are bad teachers?"
Drake's eyes curved slightly.
"Yes."
"For example?"
"Your teacher. And your teacher's teacher."
Minato: "…"
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