As Lock finished speaking…
Crimson chakra surged outward, mixed with faint traces of blue, rapidly condensing at the tip of his finger and the ends of his chakra tails.
In the blink of an eye, a dark red sphere the size of a basketball formed.
The next moment, it pulsed once—like a beating heart.
A terrifying pressure burst outward, sweeping the air in a violent ring and forcibly clearing the surrounding mist within dozens of meters.
Then the sphere began compressing.
Rapidly.
Violently.
Within an instant, it shrank to the size of a marble.
Its color deepened from dark crimson into a pitch-black core that seemed to swallow light itself.
An aura of absolute destruction filled the battlefield.
"What… is that?"
Kakashi, who had not yet retreated far, felt his scalp tighten.
A powerful instinct screamed danger.
Without hesitation, he increased the distance between himself and Lock.
Behind the raging Great Waterfall, Zabuza felt it too.
The killing intent froze his expression mid-snarl, and he immediately abandoned offense, retreating at full speed.
"Trying to run now?"
"Too late."
Lock's calm voice fell like judgment.
He tossed the unconscious Haku forward.
At the same time, the Tailed Beast Ball launched from his fingertip like a bullet, chasing directly behind Haku's body.
VROOOOM—!
For a single instant, sound vanished from the world.
The black sphere tore through the air, carving a visible tunnel through the atmosphere itself.
The earth beneath shattered layer by layer, debris blasting outward in violent waves.
Sizzle—Sizzle—Sizzle!
The moment the sphere touched the towering waterfall, the rushing current halted unnaturally, as if time itself had paused.
Then—
BOOM!
Water detonated outward as oil dropped into flame.
Steam exploded skyward.
The massive torrent split apart, fleeing to both sides.
Covered in spreading cracks, the black sphere did not slow.
Wrapped around Haku's body, it pursued the fleeing Zabuza relentlessly.
"Damn it…!"
"I still have dreams to fulfill… I still have to rebuild the Hidden Mist… I can't die here!"
Exhausted chakra and failing stamina slowed Zabuza's movements.
Despair crept into his chest.
Then—
He felt something strike his back.
Zabuza turned instinctively.
"Haku!"
Recognizing the familiar presence, he caught Haku in his arms.
Panic faded.
Regret disappeared.
Only calm remained.
If death came now… dying together might be mercy enough.
The cracked sphere behind them suddenly expanded.
Golden-red energy shone through the fractures.
The next instant—
It erupted.
A sun was born upon the earth.
Gold and crimson energy expanded violently, swallowing hundreds of meters in every direction.
The ground overturned.
Trees disintegrated.
Water reversed course and vanished into vapor.
From afar, it resembled divine punishment descending from the heavens.
The explosion lasted ten full seconds.
When it faded—
The forest was gone.
The lake was gone.
All that remained was a massive crater hundreds of meters wide, descending into darkness.
Zabuza.
Haku.
Everything within range—
Erased.
"This… kind of power…"
Cold sweat ran down Kakashi's back as he stared at the enormous crater.
Then he turned toward Lock, standing amid fading chakra tails like a god or demon descending upon the battlefield.
For the first time, Kakashi felt true helplessness.
"It seems the Third Hokage's plan may fail…"
"Trying to balance this power by relying on Naruto alone… is no different from playing with fire."
He would never phrase it that way in his report—but the thought remained.
"And Zabuza… didn't even leave a body behind."
Kakashi exhaled slowly.
If he had stood there instead, exhausted as he was…
He would not have escaped either.
And this growth had taken less than two months.
Lock's control over the Nine-Tails' chakra had already advanced from one tail to three.
If forced to face that power, Kakashi suspected he might have no choice but to rely on the dangerous ability hidden within his own Sharingan.
Lost in thought, he failed to notice Lock approaching until two bodies were tossed toward him.
"Sasuke! Sakura!"
Kakashi rushed forward, checking them immediately.
Their clothing was torn and bloodstained, giving the impression of fatal injuries.
Yet upon inspection—
No wounds.
Breathing steady.
They looked merely asleep.
"They look half-dead… but completely unharmed?"
Kakashi looked up sharply.
Lock smiled faintly, clearly in a good mood.
"They were seriously injured. I healed them."
"But mental exhaustion can't be repaired instantly. Sleep will restore them."
A system notification followed immediately.
[Blackening Value +12,000]
[Current Blackening Value: 40,000]
[Main Personality Trust and Dependence: 60% (Non-droppable: 40%)]
Inside the mindscape, Naruto's relief surged uncontrollably.
Sasuke and Sakura were alive.
That relief translated directly into rising trust.
Lock could clearly sense Naruto's thoughts—
Regret.
Self-blame.
The quiet belief that things might truly be better if Lock controlled the body.
Most importantly…
Naruto did not want to come out yet.
He was afraid to face them when they woke.
Lock allowed control to remain with himself.
Too much pressure would backfire.
As long as Naruto continued thinking along the path already planted, everything would progress naturally.
"You worked hard this time," Kakashi said, now fully accepting him.
Lock might be ruthless toward enemies.
But toward comrades, he protected without hesitation.
Lock raised an eyebrow, about to comment on Kakashi's oddly approving gaze—
When Tazuna stumbled toward them in panic.
"N-Ninja-sama! Gato… Gato and his men are coming!"
In the distance, Gato approached with a massive group of hired shinobi and armed mercenaries, his arm bound in a cast.
"Pah! Zabuza and that brat actually died. Worthless trash!"
"But judging by that explosion, you must've barely survived, right?"
A greedy grin spread across his face.
"Hee hee hee…"
He waved forward.
"Everyone! Attack!"
Lock yawned, completely uninterested in the approaching mob.
"I'll leave this to you, Kakashi."
Kakashi handed Sasuke and Sakura to Tazuna and drew a kunai with a weary sigh.
"I am your team leader, after all."
"You really know how to give orders…"
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