"Time is running out!"
Lock's eyes narrowed as the cooldown on his Blinking Dagger ticked down, but the Fourth Raikage was already charging in, thunder cracking off his body.
"Blink Strike!"
At the critical instant, the cooldown finally expired. Lock vanished, reappearing in a flash. The Raikage reacted instantly, skidding to a halt and spinning, his instincts razor sharp. He had already started to piece together Lock's ability—teleportation that targeted an opponent's back.
But this time, he guessed wrong.
Lock didn't appear behind the Raikage at all. Instead, he teleported behind the dying sensory ninja who had been hurled aside only moments ago. Blink Strike could never target a corpse, but as long as that ninja still clung to a shred of life, Lock could use him as an anchor.
Lock shoved the body around, using it as a shield, abandoning the free strike that came with the teleport. His gaze snapped to Kirabi, who was rushing forward, blades flashing.
Kirabi had been ready to catch his injured comrade. The moment Lock appeared, his reflexes shifted, blades stabbing out with deadly speed.
"Pfft!"
Steel bit into flesh—Kirabi's eyes lit up with triumph, only for horror to wash over him a heartbeat later.
The one he skewered… wasn't Lock. It was his own companion.
"No…!"
Stunned, Kirabi froze for a fraction of a second. It was all Lock needed. With a brutal kick, he sent the jinchūriki sprawling backward.
"Perfect."
The Blinking Dagger's cooldown finally ended. Unlike his own attacks, being struck reset the window to use it—so long as he avoided taking another hit, he was free to escape.
Lock vanished. The Fourth Raikage arrived just as he disappeared into the void, and his roar of rage split the night.
The Lightning Armor flickered as his fury spiked. He had been played again.
"Bi! What happened?!"
The Raikage's eyes burned as he turned on his brother, who still clutched their fallen comrade.
"I don't know!" Kirabi's voice shook. "I stabbed that brat—swear I did! But when I looked, it was Sarui instead… how?!"
The usually brash boy looked rattled, his hands trembling. He was strong, yes, but still only a teenager. Killing his own ally, even by mistake, left a scar.
The Raikage's fury cooled into a heavy, grim weight. "You were caught by his genjutsu. He made you see him where your comrade was."
He had caught a glimpse of Lock's one-handed seal earlier. That, combined with Kirabi's account, confirmed it. Illusion. Not only time-space tricks and invisibility, but also genjutsu?
The Raikage clenched his fists. "Invisibility. Teleportation. Genjutsu. Just what kind of monster has Konoha hidden away?"
Lock's performance defied reason. Barely a teenager, yet he had already assassinated their sensory ninja, outmaneuvered Kirabi, and slipped out of the Raikage's lightning-fast pursuit.
In truth, only a handful of seconds had passed since the battle began—but in those seconds, the boy had cost them dearly.
The Raikage's jaw tightened. Even he, with his speed and defense, couldn't land a finishing blow on the boy without help. Against anyone else in his army, Lock's abilities would mean certain death.
"To force me this far… even Orochimaru wouldn't make it this troublesome."
The thought sent a cold weight down his spine.
Lock wasn't just a talented shinobi—he was the kind of assassin who could change wars.
For the first time, the Fourth Raikage felt true fear.
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