"Careless…"
Drake leapt several meters away, looking thoroughly annoyed.
Chunks of rock smashed into the ground behind him—
the final outcome of his failed "conversation."
"The enlightenment worked," he muttered, sitting on a stone,
"but this mountain can't talk."
From the looks of it, non-living matter, no matter how large, remained sluggish and half-aware even after being enlightened.
This was completely different from plants.
Originally, Drake had planned to turn the back mountain into a giant stone golem bodyguard.
That dream was clearly over.
"If I gave it enough time, it might evolve," he rubbed his chin.
"But by then… would I even need it?"
Deciding there was no point continuing with rocks, Drake stood up.
Rustle—rustle—
He suddenly turned his head.
In the distance, a jujube tree was scratching at the ground, roots flailing, sprinting straight toward him.
Behind it followed Minato Namikaze, wearing a very complicated expression.
The Running Jujube Tree
"Lord Drake! Someone's looking for you!"
The jujube tree shouted, darting behind Drake and trying to re-root itself.
It struggled for a while.
Didn't work.
"Go to the stream," Drake said calmly, pointing.
The jujube tree immediately scurried off.
Minato finally walked up.
"Drake… can you explain why the tree you planted can run?"
"Does that even need an explanation?" Drake shrugged.
"I can communicate with trees. Teaching a tree to walk is perfectly reasonable, isn't it?"
Minato froze.
…That actually sounded logical?
After a moment, he sighed.
"You really never stop surprising me."
He accepted the explanation.
After all, plants were living things.
If Drake could communicate with them, learning to walk wasn't impossible.
And that jujube tree had stayed with Drake for years—
gaining sentience didn't seem that strange anymore.
"So, Sensei, did you come looking for me for something?" Drake asked.
"Yes," Minato nodded.
"The Third Hokage plans to go to the Land of Grass for negotiations with the Tsuchikage.
The two of us are assigned as guards."
"Negotiations in the Land of Grass?" Drake was surprised.
He clearly remembered telling Tieyan that the Tsuchikage should come to Konoha.
"He's afraid of you," Minato said bluntly.
"That's why he won't enter the village."
"I see…"
Drake nodded—then shook his head.
"We won't be going to the Land of Grass."
"…What?" Minato's expression sharpened.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes," Drake replied directly.
"I communicated with the trees earlier. Kirigakure has joined the war."
"What?!"
Minato was visibly shaken.
"How many? Where are they?"
"A lot. Right on the border."
Minato thought for a moment.
"That means Kirigakure's internal chaos is over," he said gravely.
"The new Mizukage is using war to redirect internal conflict."
"Exactly," Drake agreed.
A newly appointed Kage couldn't stabilize power instantly.
After civil strife, external war was the fastest solution.
"I'll report this to the Third immediately," Minato said.
"Prepare yourself. We may be heading straight to the battlefield."
With that, he left in a flash.
New Experiments
Watching his teacher depart, Drake immediately started new tests.
He entered the ANBU base, went straight into the storage vault, and grabbed a stack of explosive tags and several kunai.
Back at the mountain—
"Let's start with explosive tags."
He infused will into one tag—
specifically, the intent of floating.
Then he injected a small amount of chakra.
He threw it.
In mid-air—
The tag wobbled but did not fall, instead floating steadily.
Drake retrieved it, stroked his chin, and added a second intent—
Flight.
This time—
Whoosh!
The tag hovered, then shot forward.
Sizzle—
Moments later, it ignited and exploded mid-air.
Drake narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't trigger it."
"So… it exploded on its own."
"Too fragile? Couldn't handle dual intent?"
To test this theory, he picked up a kunai.
Again—two layers of intent.
WHOOSH!
The kunai shot out far faster than the explosive tag.
Drake tugged gently on the mental link.
In mid-air, the kunai sharply turned and flew back.
He immediately sensed the chakra depletion.
"Three times."
That kunai could fly three times before its chakra was fully drained.
"At most… ten li."
A sudden spark lit up Drake's eyes.
Kunai were too small.
Once they flew away, replenishing chakra became impossible.
But—
"A sword is different."
"If I stand on the sword, I can replenish chakra continuously."
"Then…"
A grin spread across his face.
"I can ride a sword and fly."
Sword-Riding Flight v1.0
Drake rushed back to the ANBU vault.
After rummaging around for quite a while, he finally found a suitable weapon.
"A straight sword… much better than a standard katana."
He nodded in satisfaction.
Without hesitation, he began infusing it with will.
Hokage Office
After hearing Minato's report, Hiruzen Sarutobi was shaken.
"You're saying… you learned through private channels that Kirigakure has launched a surprise attack on the border?"
"Yes," Minato replied.
A deep sense of crisis rose in Hiruzen's heart.
This intelligence—
Even the Hokage himself hadn't received it yet.
And Minato already knew?
Then who was really in control of Konoha's information?
Lowering his head, Hiruzen fell silent.
A strange glint flashed through his eyes.
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