"Smokescreen!"
Lock moved in an instant. A dense cloud of blue smoke erupted around the remaining Kumo shinobi, shrouding the area in haze. Before the enemy could react, Lock closed the distance with uncanny speed.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The two collided fiercely, the force of the impact sending ripples through the surrounding foliage.
"Blink Strike!"
Lock activated the technique, his movements blurring as he struck again. The enemy barely had time to defend before Lock disappeared.
The last Kumo ninja spun around, trying to unleash a jutsu, but his seal was already completed and… nothing happened. Confusion struck. In that instant, Lock's shadow reappeared, delivering a swift kick to the enemy's face.
"Don't move."
The shinobi, sprawled on the ground, froze. A kunai was pressed to his throat.
"Who… who are you?" he stammered, eyes wide in disbelief. His three-person team had been wiped out almost instantly by someone who looked barely twelve.
Lock's expression was calm, almost casual. "You said it yourself—I'm a Chunin from Konoha."
"Chunin?!"
The ninja's mind raced. This was impossible. A Chunin could not so effortlessly defeat two of his comrades and capture them alive. Their pride and confidence shattered, he realized just how terrifying the boy before him really was.
Lock's lips curved in a faint smirk. "By the way, shouldn't you be begging for mercy? Or at least saying something?"
The captured ninja's expression remained surprisingly calm. "If it were me… would I beg for mercy?"
Lock chuckled. "You're interesting. Are all of you Kumo shinobi this curious?"
"Don't expect me to give up any information!" the ninja snapped, though fear flickered in his eyes.
"Really? I'm not so sure about that."
Lock's voice dropped, seeming to come from everywhere at once.
"What… what did you do to me?!"
The ninja suddenly snapped awake, realizing with horror that he had been trapped in a high-level genjutsu. His experience told him immediately: this was no ordinary illusion. The boy in front of him was terrifying.
Lock's eyes softened with a trace of regret. "It's a pity I couldn't ask more questions… but this will have to do."
With a swift motion, the remaining ninja fell. Lock had no time to prolong the encounter; the enemy's team was meant to rendezvous with others, and any delay could compromise the plan.
Using the psychic scroll Orochimaru had provided, Lock summoned a venomous snake over one meter long. He handed the scroll containing the information he had gathered.
"Deliver this to Orochimaru-sama," he instructed.
The snake nodded once before disappearing into the forest.
Lock surveyed the area, considering his next move. The enemy base was nearby. He had already gathered key intelligence—locations, troop movements, and even where the enemy team planned to meet—but he needed more.
Principled as ever, Lock refused to half-finish any mission. Either he completed it thoroughly, or he wouldn't attempt it at all.
After the skirmish, Lock's experience surged. He had collected significant intel and killed three Chunin-level enemies, earning valuable experience and rewards. Level six was nearly complete; level seven was within reach.
The amount of experience and currency now diminished as he grew stronger, but every encounter still mattered. Each battle, each mission, sharpened him for what was coming: the looming ninja world war.
"Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh!"
Lock moved like a shadow through the forest, every sense alert. After two hours, he arrived at the hill identified from the intel. The Yuno base camp was nestled within a mountain, its location concealed and protected.
He didn't approach too closely. From a distance, he observed the comings and goings. Shadows flitted into the mountain entrance—clearly ninja.
"No mistake," Lock murmured to himself. "This is it. I can report back now."
With the base camp located, the first phase of the mission was complete. The real challenge, however, had only just begun.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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