Obito: "Drake, I've Surpassed You!"**
Konoha Village — Hokage Office
After finishing the last stack of papers, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window, his brows tightly furrowed.
"It's already this late, and ANBU Squad Nine still hasn't found a single clue?"
He muttered grimly.
From early morning until now, the rumor about a frontline squad defecting had spread throughout the entire village.
The news was everywhere—every street, every corner.
This made Hiruzen feel a deep, heavy sense of crisis.
He had to send Squad Nine to investigate.
Yet the problem was—
The entire day passed, and they returned NOTHING.
Not even a fart.
Suddenly—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Heavy footsteps approached, and the door swung open.
Shimura Danzo walked in.
"Danzo, what do you—"
"You can still sit here calmly?" Danzo interrupted, voice low and sharp.
"I know why you came," Hiruzen replied calmly. "I've already sent Squad Nine to find the source of the rumors."
"Squad Nine? You're still talking about Squad Nine?"
Danzo almost laughed from anger.
"What do you mean?" Hiruzen frowned.
"My men investigated the entire village all day," Danzo said coldly. "They never once saw Squad Nine."
Hiruzen froze.
Squad Nine wasn't seen… anywhere?
Then where did they go?
"Guards!"
A guard rushed in.
"Go summon ANBU Squad Nine immediately!"
"Yes!"
The guard hurried off.
Danzo sighed and shook his head.
"Hiruzen… before, you sent ANBU to find people.
Now you've fallen so far that you send people to find ANBU."
"Honestly, just transfer Squad Nine to Root. At least my men know discipline."
In truth, Danzo's mood had also been bad—
But seeing Hiruzen's situation even worse than his own…
Instant emotional balance.
At least his Root agents were loyal.
But ANBU Squad Nine?
They had pulled a full squad disappearing act.
A complete "bye bye, Hokage-sama."
"Danzo," Hiruzen said coldly, "you just want Drake and Yamato. Stop dreaming."
Two Wood Release users.
No way he'd let Danzo steal them from under him.
Their stare-down continued.
Half an hour later—
The guard returned, panicked.
"Lord Hokage! We could not find Squad Nine!"
"What??"
Hiruzen stood up abruptly.
Couldn't find them at all?
"However," the guard continued carefully, "I asked around…"
"Say the whole thing!"
Hiruzen nearly exploded.
"The Police Force reports that Squad Nine left the village early this morning."
"…What?"
"And—Minato Namikaze also left the village."
Hiruzen was stunned.
He sent Squad Nine to find rumor-spreaders…
And they ran OUT of the village?
Impossible.
The one who spread the rumor must be someone inside Konoha—
Otherwise, how could the entire village already know?
"So what does it mean," Hiruzen whispered, "for Squad Nine to leave the village?"
"And even Minato went with them…"
He suddenly realized—
He might have lost control of Squad Nine.
Danzo chuckled like a vulture circling a wounded animal.
"Hiruzen, it seems Minato's orders carry more weight than yours~"
ANBU ignored the Hokage…
But obeyed Minato's command.
Danzo didn't say it outright, but his meaning was clear:
"Minato already acts like the Hokage."
"Leave," Hiruzen said weakly.
As the guard left, Hiruzen lowered his head.
His expression flickered with doubt, fear, unease—
Early Morning — Seaside Cliff
"Drake! Wake up! Hey! Wake up!"
Obito shook Drake madly.
Drake rubbed his eyes groggily.
"Huh? You can move? You can talk again?"
Obito had been dying yesterday.
Nearly dead.
Barely breathing.
Now he was standing here, alive, energetic, and… weirdly smug?
"You healed? Just like that?"
"Of course! I'm better than ever."
Obito's tone was full of mysterious pride.
"Listen up, Drake—I've finally caught up to you."
Drake blinked.
"You said WHAT?"
"I said, I've caught up to you! No— I've surpassed you!"
Drake stared at him.
This kid's brain must've hit a rock when he fell off the cliff.
I can run around the whole ninja world, loop back behind you—sure, you'd "surpass" me.
"Alright then," Drake said lazily, "Show me."
Obito grinned confidently.
"Watch closely!"
He closed his eyes—
Then snapped them open—
Three-tomoe Sharingan spun sharply.
Drake paused.
"…You awakened your Sharingan?"
Obito puffed out his chest proudly.
"Hehehe~ See that? My Sharingan!"
"Your speed can be whatever," Obito boasted.
"But in my eyes, your every movement is laid bare!"
His excitement skyrocketed.
After suffering so long, he finally felt like a main character again.
"I am now the strongest in Squad Nine!"
Drake narrowed his eyes.
"You think just because of the Sharingan… you surpassed me?"
"Of course not!" Obito shook his head dramatically.
"The Sharingan just lets me catch up to you."
"But with my OTHER ability…"
"That's what lets me surpass you!"
"Other ability?" Drake raised a brow.
"Watch!"
Obito slammed his hands together.
Drake's expression instantly changed.
"…No way."
Obito shouted with all his strength—
"Hahhh!!!"
Chakra surged into the ground.
Boom!
A sapling burst from the earth.
Then it grew—
Higher—
Bigger—
Thicker—
In moments, it became a massive ten-meter tree.
Obito released the seal, lifted his chin proudly.
"Drake!
I now declare—
The strongest in Squad Nine…
Is me, Uchiha Obito!!"
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