Every time Lock defeated Kakashi, he only gained a little experience and at most one gold coin. If that were all, upgrading wouldn't be too hard—it would just take time.
But it wasn't that simple.
Through trial and error, Lock realized that he could only gain rewards when Kakashi was at his peak condition. If Kakashi was tired, drained, or not fully recovered, then no matter how many times Lock defeated him, there was no reward.
During this month, Lock fought Kakashi dozens of times. Out of all those battles, only nine had actually given him experience or coins.
At first, he didn't understand why, but slowly the pattern became clear: only victories against Kakashi at his best counted.
That meant that even if they fought once a day, it would still take over half a year to reach the next level. And after just a few weeks, Lock could already feel it—Kakashi was catching up. If he kept relying on this method, his undefeated streak would eventually end.
But what other option did he have? He couldn't exactly ask real jōnin or chūnin to duel him. No full-fledged shinobi would waste time fighting a student.
So for now, he was stuck.
Time slipped by, and before he knew it, a month had passed. His progress was frustrating—his current experience stood at only 39 points, still far from leveling up.
Even worse, Kakashi had stopped entertaining him. Each time Lock asked for a fight, Kakashi would either refuse outright or admit defeat instantly. And of course, victories like that gave no rewards.
Still, Lock didn't panic. The system was important, but it wasn't everything. If he couldn't gain experience that way, he could still grow stronger the normal way.
This was the world of shinobi. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, and chakra control were the foundation of survival.
Over the past month, Lock had worked through his late father's notes and managed to learn a basic Earth-Style technique. For him, it was confirmation that his talent was real.
Even Kakashi, a natural genius, had needed seven days just to barely grasp his first jutsu. Lock wasn't faster than him, but he could still pick up a ninjutsu within weeks and refine it quickly. Compared to most academy students, that was already exceptional.
But the sparring with Kakashi had also revealed his biggest weakness—chakra control.
His chakra didn't feel natural. It wasn't honed through years of training like Kakashi's, and his control lagged behind. So, Lock spent long hours on the basics—tree climbing, water walking—exercises that seemed simple, but sharpened his foundation day by day.
Just as he was adjusting to this routine, trouble came looking for him.
"Fujiwara Lock, I challenge you!"
The boy with the messy hair and cocky grin stormed up, pointing straight at him.
Lock sighed. Ever since he'd defeated Kakashi and claimed the top spot in their class, challengers had become a regular nuisance. Most he had already beaten decisively, and they eventually gave up.
But there were always two exceptions: Guy… and Sarutobi Asuma.
Both had lost to him more than once, but they never quit. They always came back for more, and now Lock finally understood the headache Kakashi must have lived with all this time.
"Asuma," Lock said flatly, "are you seriously doing this again? If you keep bothering me, I won't hold back anymore."
He usually didn't worry about challengers, but Asuma wasn't just anyone—he was the son of the Third Hokage. Even if Hiruzen probably wouldn't care about children scuffling, Lock wasn't reckless enough to risk making an enemy of the Hokage.
But Asuma only grinned wider. "I'll beat you this time, Lock! Once I do, I'll be number one!"
Lock pinched the bridge of his nose. This guy…
"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."
The two of them headed to the training ground, a small crowd gathering to watch.
Two minutes later, Lock was sitting on top of Asuma, slapping his ridiculous hairstyle flat.
"Are you satisfied yet?"
"No!" Asuma shouted stubbornly.
Smack.
"Still not!"
Smack.
"Not giving up!"
Smack!
Even with his face swollen and bruised, Asuma refused to admit defeat. Lock couldn't help but respect his willpower—Hokage's son or not, his stubbornness was impressive.
Still, Lock wasn't going to let him off easy. "Asuma, this is your last chance. If you keep pushing me, I'll use my ultimate technique—Konoha-Style—"
"WAIT, I GIVE UP!" Asuma blurted before Lock could finish.
Lock blinked in surprise.
It wasn't the threat of a beating that made Asuma cave—it was the memory of Lock's dirty trick on Obito weeks ago. Just the thought of being subjected to something like that made him shiver.
Shaking his head, Lock climbed off. "Good. But remember—if you come at me again, I will use that move. Every. Single. Time."
Asuma staggered to his feet, his face a mess of bruises. Lock had been careful not to cause serious damage, but it was still enough to sting his pride.
Scowling, Asuma pointed a trembling finger at him. "Fujiwara Lock… you wait for me! I'll definitely get my revenge!"
Lock just sighed. Some people never learn.