After understanding what Kakashi wanted, Drake thought for a moment.
His immunity to mental interference wasn't a technique at all —
It was simply because his spirit stat was absurdly high.
It wasn't something he could teach directly.
"But… I can break down my understanding into something teachable."
After all, Drake's spiritual attribute was in the tens of thousands.
He hadn't even studied mental-type jutsu seriously, yet even with only "basic comprehension," he could casually crush the entire Yamanaka clan.
Like a massive mountain —
Even a pebble falling from its peak could flatten anyone at the bottom.
He stood on a height others couldn't imagine.
With that thought, Drake gestured for Kakashi to sit.
Under the jujube tree, the two sat face-to-face.
Drake cleared his throat and began:
"My secret technique is called: Self-Hypnosis Jutsu."
"As the name suggests, you implant a false piece of information in your mind… and constantly hypnotize yourself with it."
"When someone attempts a mental probe, that fake information detonates first — and their jutsu gets misled."
Kakashi fell silent, frowning deeply.
"False information… self-hypnosis?"
He understood the concept, but…
"How do I… actually do that?" Kakashi asked, a little embarrassed.
He was a genius, yet he couldn't figure out the practical steps.
It made him feel… defeated.
Drake thought, then suddenly nodded.
"I'll tell you a story."
Kakashi immediately straightened his posture like a perfect student in Ninja Academy.
Drake began narrating:
[Story Time]
There was once a bandit named Kakashi.
His daily job was robbery.
He lived comfortably because of it.
But his dream was not to be a bandit.
His dream…
Was to become a hero.
Every morning, he told himself:
"Kakashi, you're a hero."
And every time he said that, he felt energized.
One day, he saw other bandits attacking civilians.
So—
He charged in.
The word "hero" exploded in his mind, giving him immense courage.
In the end, he defeated the bandits and became a true hero.
The story ended.
Kakashi didn't mind the protagonist having his name —
He knew Drake was helping him visualize it.
"Hero… that was the implanted false belief."
"It was also a dream, a conviction."
"And he reaffirmed that conviction every day…"
Kakashi muttered to himself.
Drake nodded.
"Kakashi, don't you also have a goal? A belief?"
"Me?"
Kakashi froze.
Then a sentence escaped his mouth before he realized it:
"I've already caught up to you!"
Drake: "...What?"
"I said— I've already caught up to you, Drake!" Kakashi repeated firmly.
Drake's face darkened.
Caught up to me?
If I run one lap around the entire ninja world and end up behind you, then technically yes — you'll have 'caught up.'
He clearly misunderstood the assignment.
"You need a righteous, radiant word to resist Yamanaka probes. Understand?"
"I understand!" Kakashi nodded.
"Good. Then what word are you going to implant?"
Kakashi shook his head.
"Secret."
Drake's face froze.
Wow. You're learning my technique and keeping secrets from ME?
Kakashi left soon after.
Before he did, Drake tossed the swordsmanship scroll back at him.
The next morning
After waking, Drake watered the jujube tree and the saplings.
They rustled in response.
Sha— sha—
"You're saying… the jujube tree bullied you?"
Drake looked up in surprise.
The jujube tree's branches had stretched over the little sapling like a giant umbrella.
"You're too much."
He scolded the tree, bending its branch aside.
After solving this "tree dispute," he checked his status panel.
Skill: Intermediate Sensory (100 meters)
"Huh? My sensory range doubled?"
Yesterday it was only 10 meters.
A single breakthrough made it reach 100 meters?
"Nice."
He activated it.
Within a hundred meters —
nothing could hide.
Everything was monochrome though —
black and white.
Just as he was about to deactivate it, a signature appeared.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Anko ran into the courtyard.
"Something happened!"
"…Again?" Drake frowned.
This village really encountered disasters daily.
"What now?"
"I heard a bunch of ninjas talking — a frontline squad defected. They joined the Sand!"
"Defected? What's that got to do with us?" Drake said lazily.
Shouldn't the Hokage be the worried one?
"Do you know which squad it was?" Anko crossed her arms.
"What squad? Still not related to me."
"That was the Intelligence Squad!"
"Oh."
Still not related.
Anko almost exploded.
"Think! If they reveal the frontline defense layout to the Sand, the front will collapse!"
"Then it collapses. And this affects me… how?"
Same sentence. Same tone.
Anko puffed her cheeks in anger.
"You done? If not, let's go get free food."
"Huh? Where?"
"Happy Bathhouse."
"Oh!!"
Her anger vanished instantly.
On the street
Drake noticed many ninja discussing the defection.
That was strange.
Shouldn't the higher-ups cover this up?
Why did it feel like the whole village knew?
What kind of Hokage announces morale-crushing scandals like this?
Drake didn't know—
Hiruzen had tried to cover it up.
But somehow —
someone leaked it.
And now the entire village was buzzing.
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