Among the gathered Genin, only one had successfully collected all three types of scrolls and still held onto them. No one dared challenge him further.
He sat on the edge of the crowd, wrapped head to toe in dark clothing, a mask covering his face. Other competitors instinctively kept their distance.
This was Shisui of the Aburame clan—a genius among the insect users of Konoha. The Aburame were one of the village's oldest families, feared throughout the shinobi world for their mastery of insects. And Shisui was known for something even more sinister: poisonous insects.
In two earlier matches, he had unleashed his venomous swarm, crippling his opponents so brutally that most lost the will to continue. The memory of those fights lingered in everyone's minds. Even though he had completed his set of scrolls, no one dared to risk facing him again.
His participation had been calculated. With his strength, he could likely have claimed a slot on his own, but after hearing Oguri Katsuki's pitch, he had decided to "buy insurance." Ten thousand ryō was a small price for guaranteed promotion.
Now, however, attention shifted. Lock stepped forward, and his chosen opponent, Noda Kazuhiro, joined him eagerly.
Kazuhiro was elated. He already held two scrolls—only the Earth Scroll was missing. Facing Lock, who openly offered his Earth Scroll, was the perfect opportunity. He could hardly believe his luck.
Oguri Katsuki took the two scrolls as referee, his expression stern. "Fujiwara-kun, Noda-kun—you both know the rules. This is a competition, not a blood feud. No killing blows. Anyone who breaks that rule becomes the enemy of everyone here."
No one doubted him. Oguri had run these shadow tournaments three times before without losing control once.
"The match begins!"
At his word, Noda Kazuhiro darted forward, feet pounding the ground. He closed the distance quickly but didn't strike—his eyes stayed locked on Lock, wary.
Lock's gaze sharpened. Since his opponent hesitated, he chose to move first.
Six shuriken flashed into his hands. With a flick of his wrists, they fanned out in a deadly spread, angles carefully calculated to cut off every path of retreat.
"Six at once?!" Kazuhiro's eyes widened. His hand darted to his pouch, kunai flashing as he prepared to deflect them.
But before the steel even clashed, a cold voice whispered from behind him.
"Apologies, Noda-senpai."
A chill spread down his spine. He froze.
Something sharp pressed against his throat.
His entire body trembled as he realized Lock was behind him. The kunai in his hands slackened. A moment later, Lock tugged him two steps aside—and the six shuriken buried themselves into the ground where Kazuhiro had stood.
Oguri's eyes widened in shock, but his voice remained steady. "Fujiwara Lock… wins."
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. Then the realization sank in, and the entire crowd broke into murmurs of disbelief.
Lock calmly lowered his kunai, withdrawing the blade from Kazuhiro's throat.
The defeated boy touched the shallow nick on his neck, staring at Lock in frustration and awe. "How… how did you do that?"
Lock only smiled faintly and said nothing. To him, the answer was simple. With the Body Flicker Technique, as long as his opponent wasn't intimately familiar with his timing and speed, the fight was already over before it began. Only true prodigies—like some from the Hyūga—could hope to counter his movement.
The match had lasted less than five seconds. For Kazuhiro, it was humiliating. He'd thought Lock an easy mark, but instead he'd been dismantled instantly, unable even to register what had happened.
Oguri stepped forward with a grin, holding out the scrolls. "Your prize, Fujiwara-kun."
Lock accepted them without ceremony.
The others weren't so calm.
"What the hell just happened?"
"Did you even see him move?"
"No way… that speed…"
Speculation bubbled until one voice cut through.
"He used the Body Flicker Technique."
Everyone turned. It was a boy named Takeda, his eyes gleaming.
"You know something?" someone demanded.
Takeda nodded gravely. "The Body Flicker Technique isn't rare. But its power depends on the user. It's a high-speed movement jutsu, but the distance Lock covered just now—that's not something ordinary Genin, or even most Chunin, could do. Only elite jonin manage that kind of range."
A hush fell over the crowd as the weight of his words sank in.
To them, Body Flicker was a simple tool—useful for feints and evasions. But in Lock's hands, it had become something terrifying, almost untouchable.
Lock tucked away his newly won scroll, expression calm.
But as a banker, he wasn't finished yet. According to the rules, a dealer had to accept a second challenge before stepping down. If he won again, only then could he withdraw from the role. And if he won three in a row, no one could challenge him further.
It was risky. The longer you stayed in, the more people schemed against you. That was why only Aburame Shisui had dared it before, and his mere presence had scared challengers away.
But Lock wasn't here to waste time. He wanted to finish this quickly, decisively—so he would keep his seat until he crushed three in a row.
Once and for all.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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