Deep beneath Amegakure, in a broad underground cavern, Hanzō slowly opened his eyes and released a shadow clone.
"So it's true… someone infiltrated the village to assassinate me."
Hanzō's tone carried doubt.
"But why is it the Minato Namikaze — the Yellow Flash of Konohagakure? When did I ever provoke the Leaf?"
Hanzō had expected the assassin to be Nagato. The fact that Minato appeared instead puzzled him.
After thinking for a while, Hanzō reached a conclusion.
Nagato must have sided with Konoha.
And Konoha… he feared that village.
Because of one boy.
Drake.
That young monster's recent feats had shaken the entire ninja world. Even Hanzō felt deep wariness.
And now… it seemed Konoha had marked him as an enemy.
A Voice from the Shadows
"Pitiful."
A strange voice echoed behind him.
Hanzō spun around in shock.
"What are you?! Sent by the Leaf?"
A dark, formless silhouette stood behind him.
"Relax, Hanzō. I'm not your enemy."
The black figure stepped aside, revealing a tall figure behind him.
"You…?!"
Hanzō's eyes went wide; his body trembled.
"Why are you so nervous seeing me, Hanzō?" the man asked.
"You… you're alive?"
"I came from the past. The present me is already dead."
Hanzō struggled to process this.
"From the past? For what purpose?"
"To kill Drake."
Hanzō exhaled slowly. "What do you want me to do?"
"Take your salamander and tunnel beneath Konoha. Release your poison from underground."
"But Drake will sense me."
"Don't worry. I'll draw him away."
Back in the Leaf — Drake's "Business Model"
All morning, Drake visited every participating Genin team. When he left, he carried a document — one that made him very pleased.
"Perfect. With this, the future of every village's 'flowers' will be working for me."
He had introduced a new system: installment-based jutsu lending.
He provided abilities. They completed missions. He took a cut.
A self-sustaining money engine.
After handing the documents to Minato, Drake tried to leave quietly — but was intercepted by Shisui Uchiha.
"Lord Hokage… the debt collectors want to meet you."
Drake blinked. He had almost forgotten them.
"They claim they have official backing."
Shisui handed over a document.
Drake scanned it and understood.
The debt collectors weren't from just any gambling hall — they were tied to the Land of Hot Water daimyo.
More importantly… there was a personal message from Mineko, hidden between the lines.
So that's it.
The casino where Tsunade racked up her debt was Mineko's operation.
Interrogation Room — The Debt Collectors
At the Security Department prison, the debt collectors straightened up the moment Drake entered.
"Lord Hokage!"
Drake nodded.
But one man kept his head lowered, trembling.
"Raise your head," Drake said.
The man swallowed hard and slowly looked up, terrified.
"You're scared of me?"
"N-no!"
Drake eyed him with curiosity. Did they have history? Or had his reputation spread this far?
"Open the cell," Drake said.
The door swung open. They were escorted out.
"The IOU?" Drake asked.
One man quickly produced a thick stack of debt papers.
Drake's eyebrow twitched.
How much did she borrow?
He placed the IOUs on the table and asked, "You were sent by the daimyo of the Land of Hot Water?"
"Yes. We were told to deliver this to you."
"Tell Mineko I'll visit soon."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Drake didn't pay a single ryō.
Instead, he would repay in… other ways.
And he knew Mineko hadn't sent them for money anyway. She sent them to deliver a message.
Back at the Bathhouse
In a room at the Happy Bathhouse, Drake dropped the pile of IOUs on the bed.
"I've covered your debt. How will you repay me?"
Tsunade lay face-down, groaning.
"My backside hurts… can't repay anything."
"Then heal up fast."
Drake left.
The moment the door closed, Tsunade sprang up — perfectly fine.
"Hmph. I'm a medical ninja."
She scooped up the IOUs, crushed them into a ball, and tossed them into the trash.
Creak—
The door opened.
Tsunade froze.
"D-Drake?"
Drake stood in the doorway, arms folded, watching her.
"Tsunade… do you want me to do it, or will you do it yourself?"
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