The space–time kunai was definitely a lifesaver. Lock hadn't used it before because there was never a need. Against most enemies, his Blink Strike was enough. He never thought he'd face an opponent who forced him to rely on something purely for escape.
In truth, Lock had always focused on power — on killing techniques, not on running. The kunai could bend space, yes, but it wasn't a weapon. And against someone like the Raikage, whose speed rivaled lightning itself, using the kunai mid-battle was nearly impossible. If Ai pressed him without pause, there'd never be those precious three seconds to vanish.
If not for that ultimate technique… I wouldn't even be standing now.
Lock sprinted west through the forests, eyes flickering as he watched the images projected by the scouting seal he had planted back at the Cloud camp. Through it, he saw the movements of their shinobi. The moment their formation split, the base began to shift.
They're relocating already… I forced their hand.
Fifteen breaths later, Lock triggered the kunai again, vanishing one kilometer further. As he landed, he wove chakra through his body and faded into invisibility. The combination of stealth and space–time was devastating. Not even the Raikage could catch him now.
But then another problem appeared.
He was lost.
In a game world, there would be a map to guide him. Here, there was nothing. He knew Fire Country was west of Hot Water Country, so he had been blinking westward nonstop — but routes weren't straight lines. He had strayed too far, and the landmarks on Orochimaru's crude hand-drawn map no longer matched.
Lock frowned. Tch. Even radios exist in this world, and yet proper maps don't? This place really needs a damn navigator.
Still, he wasn't helpless. The scouting seal he had left back at the enemy's base glowed faintly in his perception. If he returned to that location, he could retrace his original route. That, at least, was reliable.
For now, he chose patience. He was more than twenty kilometers away. Even the fastest Cloud ninja wouldn't reach him here. Crouching low, he unrolled a scroll, pressing his palm to summon a small white snake. It took the encoded message he had written — details of the Cloud force and their movements — and slithered away into the undergrowth, bound for Ryūchi Cave and Orochimaru.
His chakra was running low, body heavy after the continuous clashes. He leaned back against a tree trunk, exhaling, and began to regulate his breathing. The plan was simple: recover, wait until nightfall, and move again.
He wasn't worried about Orochimaru receiving the message. They had arranged a system beforehand: every two hours, both would summon the same serpent. Information would be exchanged instantly through this shared contract.
Indeed, moments ago when he had summoned the snake, he received a brief reply scrawled in Orochimaru's hand. Just two words.
Received.
It was enough.
Meanwhile, deep within Konoha's borders, Orochimaru dismissed the serpent with narrowed eyes. He had just read Lock's report — the son of the Third Raikage, Killer B, and over a dozen elite jōnin-level shinobi operating in Fire Country.
"So… Yunyin truly dares t,o gamble everything," Orochimaru muttered, snake-like pupils glinting. Their plan wasn't rash. It was deliberate, long prepared, and executed with terrifying strength.
What impressed him more was not Yunyin's force, but the boy who had uncovered it.
"I sent countless operatives. None returned with answers. Yet you, Lock-kun… you walked into their den, faced the Fourth Raikage himself, and escaped alive."
The parchment curled in the flame of a candle, turning to ash between Orochimaru's pale fingers.
"Your bloodline… your power… it cannot be simple invisibility."
For shinobi of his caliber, stealth was never enough. At that level, movement itself betrayed presence, chakra or not. Lock had survived something even Orochimaru himself would hesitate to challenge.
The Sannin's lips curled in amusement, eyes glittering. "You interest me more and more."
Yet, despite the satisfaction, a flicker of regret crossed his face. The Cloud base would be moved by now. Ta he information was already old.
"Pity…"
The ashes scattered, and Orochimaru turned away.
"…I only hope that boy escapes alive."
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