In the valley—
Drake carried Obito on his back, but his neck felt freezing cold.
"Obito, why are you crying nonstop like a girl?"
"Uuuhh… uuuhhhh…"
Obito continued wailing without care.
"Lord Drake, I can carry him!"
White Zetsu ran over respectfully.
"Okay, he's yours," Drake nodded.
But—
White Zetsu tugged left.
Tugged right.
Tugged for half a day—
Obito wouldn't come off.
Drake's expression darkened.
Minato glanced up at the towering cliff around them.
"You won't get up there easily while carrying Obito."
The cliff rose hundreds of meters high.
"This is nothing."
Clap!
Drake pressed his palms together, ready to use Wood Release.
"Uuuuuhh! Uuuhhh!!"
Suddenly Obito started groaning and humming desperately.
"Hm?"
Drake blinked.
He had no idea what Obito was trying to say.
They hadn't learned this… Morse-code crying language in ninja school.
Unable to understand verbally, he followed Obito's gaze toward the center of the valley.
There—
Two very small saplings stood quietly.
"You want me to take these two saplings too?" Drake asked, surprised.
"Uuuhhh…"
"So you've been lonely here, huh…"
Drake sighed with a touch of sympathy as he dug up the two tiny trees.
A moment later—
Wood Release activated.
BOOM!
A massive tree erupted from the ground, lifting all of them into the air.
Nightfall — By the Seaside
Drake and Minato sat on large rocks near the shore.
Obito sat between them, hugging his two saplings like precious babies.
"Drake, what are you planning to do with this White Zetsu?"
Minato asked, watching White Zetsu splash around in the sea attempting to catch fish.
Drake had named him White Zetsu earlier, so Minato just kept using the name.
"Keep him," Drake answered after thinking.
"Though… if he returns to the village like that, people will misunderstand."
"He can use Transformation Jutsu," Minato reminded.
"That's fine then."
Soon, White Zetsu returned proudly, holding a half-meter-long fish.
"Lord Drake, I'll start cooking immediately!"
He stuck his butt out and began preparing dinner with inhuman enthusiasm.
Seeing such loyalty, even Minato was reassured.
The fire crackled.
The fish roasted beautifully.
As team leader, Drake had no choice but to feed Obito personally.
"Obito, you're the first person I've ever had to spoon-feed."
Drake shoved a piece of fish into Obito's mouth.
"Uuuh!"
Obito puffed his cheeks and gestured again.
Drake shoved another piece in.
"Uuuh? Uuuuuh?!"
Suddenly, the sound changed.
"What now?" Drake squinted.
He fed another piece—
Obito instantly spat it out.
"Uuuuh?"
"What are you whining about now?"
Drake's forehead twitched.
"Ahem… maybe he's choking on a fishbone," Minato suggested.
"Ah?"
Drake immediately pried Obito's mouth open.
Sure enough—a bone.
After removing it, Obito looked at Drake with watery, betrayed eyes.
"Look, I'm not good at this kind of thing. You should understand!"
Step-step-step—
Footsteps rushed closer.
Drake turned.
Kakashi appeared, panting hard.
Behind him came Anko, Yugao, and Yamato—
also bent over, gasping for air.
"Sorry. I'm late."
He looked genuinely guilty.
He could have arrived earlier…
But he had Anko grabbing him from behind…
And behind her, the rest of them clinging along.
His speed had never been slower.
"That's… Obito?"
Kakashi stared at the mummy-like bundle of bandages.
Can't blame him for not recognizing Obito.
Even Drake felt the wrapping was excessive—worse than those ancient burial mummies.
"It's him! Here, YOU feed him."
Drake finally passed the burden away.
"Obito!"
"We're here!"
"He's really badly hurt…"
Squad Nine immediately crowded around Obito like worshippers around a sacred relic.
Freed of nursing duty, Drake and Minato walked a little farther away.
"White Zetsu, will you follow us back to the village or go your own way?" Drake asked, giving him the option.
"Lord Drake, I wish to follow you forever!"
White Zetsu's answer was firm and passionate.
"Then do you have any intel about Madara?" Drake asked.
"I only know that after Madara activated me, I've been in the valley ever since," White Zetsu replied honestly.
"Activated?"
Minato caught the keyword immediately.
"I see…"
Drake nodded.
So this White Zetsu's memory started only after activation—
basically the valley's handyman.
"By the way, use Transformation Jutsu. Don't show your true form in the village."
"Lord Drake, what should I transform into? A man? A woman?"
White Zetsu asked seriously.
"…Huh?"
Both Drake and Minato were stunned.
POOF!
White Zetsu instantly transformed—
into Obito.
"Such a transformation!"
Minato's eyes widened.
He couldn't tell it was fake at all.
"Probably only Byakugan can see through it," Minato concluded.
"Don't transform into Obito. Try someone else." Drake waved.
POOF!
This time…
White Zetsu turned into Yugao.
"Lord Drake~~"
When he spoke—
The voice was soft.
Warm.
Beautiful.
Disturbingly accurate.
Drake felt goosebumps shoot up his arms.
This was TOO real.
He was convinced—
Anyone else would NEVER notice the difference.
"White Zetsu, if you learn people's habits too, your ability might become terrifying."
Drake couldn't help but praise him.
"A miraculous transformation technique," Minato whispered in awe.
White Zetsu, overwhelmed by praise, continued transforming.
Rin.
Anko.
"Lord Drake~~"
"Lord Drake~~"
Two gentle female voices called out to him.
At this moment—
A bold idea blossomed in Drake's mind.
A very bold idea.
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