Lock crouched on a thick branch, hidden among the shadows of the trees. His brows furrowed. Something was wrong. He could feel it—the unmistakable sensation of eyes tracking him. He had been moving cautiously, scanning his surroundings, but no matter how carefully he searched, he found nothing.
That only made the unease worse.
This isn't just my imagination. Someone's tailing me… but who? Out of all these Genin, not many should be able to keep up with me like this.
Lock stayed still for a long moment, his instincts sharp. Whoever it was had been following him without a sound, never showing themselves, never making a mistake. That wasn't normal for just another Genin candidate.
"Tch… fine then. Let's draw you out."
Remaining hunted left a bad taste in his mouth. Better to flip the game on its head.
Lock dropped from the branch, canceling his invisibility, and stood in the open clearing.
Not far away, two figures froze.
"He came out on his own?" one whispered.
"Impossible… did he notice us?"
The second voice carried disbelief, but also unease.
"Don't underestimate him. He's not just some kid. They say he's on par with that prodigy, Hatake Kakashi. A genius isn't someone you can measure with normal standards."
The other boy hesitated. "…Then we strike now, before this gets complicated."
"Agreed."
A rustle of leaves. In the next heartbeat, two boys—around fifteen or sixteen—dropped into view. One tall and broad-shouldered, the other short and wiry.
Lock studied them calmly. So, not the Hyūga after all. Interesting.
"Which one of you is the sensor?" he asked bluntly.
They stiffened at the direct question.
The tall boy bared his teeth. "Shut it, brat! Hand over your scroll before we beat it out of you!"
Lock ignored him. His gaze stayed fixed on the shorter one. The boy flinched ever so slightly.
"…How did you know?" the wiry boy blurted before he could stop himself.
Lock's lips curved faintly. "Sensitive types are rare, even in Konoha. And at Genin level? I've never seen one before. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out."
The tall one scowled. "Cocky little—just give us the scroll!"
But his eyes betrayed surprise.
Lock's expression hardened. "Save the act. Your words and your movements already gave you away. If you were just a normal Genin, you could've hunted anyone for their scroll. Yet you've been on my tail since the start. That means you're here for me specifically. So… who sent you?"
His voice cut cold through the air.
For a moment, the pair said nothing. Then, slowly, the tall one's expression changed. His earlier bravado faded, replaced with a detached, almost lifeless stare. His tone, when he finally spoke, was unnervingly calm.
"As expected of the one Lord values. That analytical mind at such a young age… truly remarkable."
Lord?
Lock's frown deepened. Someone in the shadows had set this up. Someone wanted him dead.
"…Figures this won't end peacefully. Fine. But before we fight—what scroll are you holding?"
The tall boy let out a short, humorless laugh. "Still thinking about the exam? Bold… but pointless. You won't live long enough to care."
"Go!" the smaller one barked.
The two moved in perfect unison, weaving signs with practiced speed.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A roaring stream of fire tore across the clearing, whipped higher and deadlier by the surge of wind. The two elements merged into a blazing inferno that ripped through the trees, swallowing Lock's earlier hiding spot in flames.
The firestorm reduced trunks to ash in seconds, leaving a smoldering crater of blackened wood.
The wiry boy sneered. "Think we'd fall for such a cheap shadow clone trick? Hiding the real body, waiting for an ambush? Too predictable."
But then—
"…What?" His eyes widened in shock.
Lock wasn't in the inferno. He was right in front of them, sprinting headlong at terrifying speed.
"You're the real body?!"
"Enough."
Lock's voice was flat, his gaze sharp. In an instant, his form blurred.
The short boy's sneer froze. His throat tightened with sudden pain. A line of crimson appeared across his neck, followed by a gush of blood. His eyes bulged, confusion and terror flashing for only a second before his body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
"No!"
The tall boy roared, face twisting with rage and disbelief.
Lock stood over the corpse, his kunai dripping red. His expression didn't waver. "One down."
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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