Sarutobi Hiruzen never imagined—
The person walking out of the steam would be Orochimaru.
"Sensei," Orochimaru's hoarse voice carried faint amusement,
"it seems you've made the same choice I once did."
Hiruzen frowned.
"Why are you at Danzō's contact point?"
"I wish to pledge myself to Madara," Orochimaru replied calmly.
"But approval hasn't come yet. So I wait."
Silence lingered.
Once, Hiruzen had condemned Orochimaru as a traitor.
Now—
He stood on the same road.
"You underestimated Drake too, didn't you?" Orochimaru added softly.
Hiruzen stiffened.
"You knew?"
"You were careless," Orochimaru said simply.
He began packing his equipment.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes."
"Why? No one followed me."
Orochimaru sighed.
"Sensei… as long as trees exist—Drake sees."
Hiruzen froze.
"…Through the trees?"
"Yes."
The realization hit like a thunderbolt.
They had traveled entirely through forest cover.
His clan was resting just miles away—
In the woods.
Meaning—
They had likely been observed the entire time.
"…Damn it."
Hiruzen turned urgently.
"Where do we go?"
"Land of Lightning."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.
"That was the mission Drake assigned my clan."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
They would seek Danzō.
And Madara.
"I brought over a thousand elite clan members," Hiruzen revealed.
Orochimaru paused.
That number was… useful.
"Send them to the Land of the Moon," Orochimaru suggested.
"And then?"
"We meet Madara. When the time comes—
We turn the board over."
Hiruzen hesitated only briefly.
He had already crossed the line.
"…So be it."
"Avoid forests," Orochimaru reminded him before departure.
The so-called "League of Failures" began to form.
Konoha Hospital
A toad holding a glass cultivation vessel leapt out of the hospital window.
Drake blinked.
"You know there's a door."
Then he saw Kushina standing outside.
Ah.
That explained it.
"Minato left?" she asked, glancing toward the window.
"He's heading to the back mountain."
Her expression flickered.
"…Not Mount Myōboku?"
"You sound disappointed," Drake observed.
"N-No."
But her voice lacked conviction.
Then she lowered her gaze.
"Drake… with Minato like this… what am I supposed to do?"
"If you need anything," Drake said gently,
"You can come to me."
She nodded, visibly moved.
Then she walked away.
Drake watched her back.
Something about her reaction felt… off.
Was it shock?
Embarrassment?
Relief?
He dismissed it.
In a little over a year—
Minato would return to human form.
Everything would resolve.
Back Mountain
Drake found Minato squatting in a stream—
Staring at the flowing water like a philosopher contemplating frog existence.
Drake didn't interrupt.
He placed a hand on a nearby tree.
Moments later, information returned.
Snake-like chakra.
"So that's it," Drake murmured.
"Sensei and student reunited."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had met Orochimaru.
And they were heading toward the Land of Lightning.
Toward Madara.
Drake smiled faintly.
The bait was swimming willingly toward the hook.
All he had to do—
Was wait.
A splash interrupted his thoughts.
Minato hopped over.
"You found Orochimaru?"
"Yes," Drake replied calmly.
"He's with the Third."
Rainwater trickled from Minato's amphibian chin.
"…I see."
Drake's eyes gleamed.
The net was tightening.
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