Lock steadied his breathing in the shadows. His earlier strike had drained him—he knew exactly how much. That flash step of his consumed nearly a sixth of his chakra reserves in one burst. His invisibility, by contrast, barely sipped at his chakra pool, but it still added up. On top of that, he'd already split his chakra once with the Shadow Clone earlier.
He wasn't running on empty yet. But every move from now on mattered.
Lock understood his limits well. Without his stealth and his speed techniques, his raw combat ability hovered around the level of a Chūnin. Against veterans at the higher end of that rank, he knew he would struggle. But with his invisibility, flash strike, and a sharp enough plan, he could close the gap—maybe even kill them outright.
A Jōnin, though? Unless it was the perfect ambush, he wouldn't stand a chance. He'd learned that the hard way.
He remembered facing Minato Namikaze once, even briefly. The Fourth's speed had erased him from the fight in less than ten seconds. Against Jiraiya, Minato himself had looked like a child being batted aside. Lock had seen enough to know—this world's power scale wasn't some "anime exaggeration." The gulf between ranks was terrifyingly real.
A Jōnin didn't need to show off ninjutsu to crush a Genin. Speed, strength, precision—that alone was enough to end lives instantly.
And the boy standing across from him now… this tall brute of a Genin was already stronger than most. At least Chūnin-level, maybe higher. Lock couldn't afford arrogance.
He hadn't decided on his next strike when the boy suddenly acted. The short blade in his hand slashed across his own palm. Blood dripped down his fingers as he slammed his hand onto the dirt, weaving seals with practiced speed.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom!
Smoke exploded upward. From within it, a massive winged shape emerged—its leathery wings unfurling like sails. A monstrous bat, its body the size of a millstone, crouched before its summoner, hissing. Its eyes glowed faintly red, its fanged mouth curling open.
The tall boy sneered. "Think you can hide forever?"
He jabbed a finger forward. "Find him. Use echolocation."
The beast screeched, a high, piercing cry vibrating through the air. Its head snapped sideways—and then, in an instant, it surged straight toward Lock's hidden position.
Lock's eyes narrowed. So that's it.
The boy himself didn't have the ability to pinpoint him. It was the summon. The bat was using sound to paint his outline through the forest.
For a heartbeat, surprise crossed Lock's face. Then, a small smile curved his lips. Perfect.
In the next instant, the bat blinked out of existence.
Lock alone saw it. The massive beast collapsed into nothing, chakra scattering like dust. A pulse of foreign energy rushed into him as if absorbed, leaving no trace.
The tall boy froze mid-step, his eyes going wide. His bond with the creature vanished—something that had never happened since the day he'd signed the contract.
There were only two explanations: either his beast was killed outright, or dragged into another dimension. Either way, it was gone. And without its guidance, he was blind again.
"No—!" He bit down on the panic and immediately slammed his palm into the earth to resummon it. But nothing answered his call. The contract link was empty.
That was all the opening Lock needed.
The distance had already closed thanks to the bat's charge. The boy's moment of hesitation was fatal.
Flash strike.
Lock vanished and reappeared behind him, kunai driving deep into the lower back.
The tall boy's body jerked violently, a guttural sound tearing from his throat. Lock had aimed for the throat, as he had with the sensor-nin earlier, but the difference in their height ruined the angle. At barely over a meter tall himself, he couldn't reach the neck without leaping—and that would have left enough time for a counter. So he'd gone for the waist instead.
The blade sank in with a wet crunch.
"Ghh—!"
Pain exploded across the boy's face. He spun instinctively, elbow smashing backward.
Lock dropped low, yanking the kunai free. Blood sprayed as he pushed off hard, skidding backward to regain distance. His invisibility faded with the strike, his body exposed, but he didn't panic. He needed only a few seconds to vanish again.
The boy clutched at his bleeding side, but his expression was anything but broken. His eyes were wide, bloodshot with rage, and his massive frame lurched forward faster than Lock expected. Even wounded, he moved with frightening speed.
"Bastard!"
Steel met steel in a violent clash.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lock's kunai met the boy's short blade again and again, sparks bursting with every strike. His arms shook from the force, the knife grazing him once, then again—thin crimson lines carved across his arm and leg.
The boy's raw strength overwhelmed him. Blow after blow pushed him backward. Every impact sent shocks up his arms, numbing them.
His right forearm split open with a shallow gash, blood dripping freely.
Lock grit his teeth, forcing his body to stay calm. The tall boy had the advantage in brute force and speed. He could not win in a straight contest. But…
That stab to the waist. It landed. And I know exactly how much it hurt him.
The boy's movements were relentless, but his breath came harder now. Each strike carried fury, but also a growing stiffness. His injury wasn't minor—the damage would eat at him with every passing second.
Lock's lips thinned into a sharp line.
All I need to do is endure a little longer. His body will betray him.
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