"Sure enough… you're with Danzō."
Hijikata Shiro's open admission made Lock's stomach twist.
But what he couldn't figure out was why. What had he done to earn Danzō's obsession? Was it really just because of his bloodline ability… or was there something more?
Shiro, a trusted jōnin of Konoha, was leading twenty hidden operatives — even for Danzō, mobilizing that many inside the village's territory without notice wasn't simple.
Lock was badly injured and bound tightly by Shiro's grip. Even if he wanted to use Blink Strike or his assassination techniques, he couldn't. Breaking free by sheer force was impossible.
A scream cut through the chaos. The last survivor of their squad was cut down before his eyes. Lock closed his eyes in pain.
Twelve had set out together. Now, aside from Shiro the traitor, every one of them was dead. One had tried to flee earlier, but Lock doubted he had survived either.
All of them — dead because of him.
Guilt and anger burned in his chest. Why hadn't he noticed the signs sooner? If Danzō's schemes before had only made him wary, now they filled him with pure killing intent. That damned old war hawk — they had done nothing to deserve this, yet he had targeted them without mercy.
Weakness is the original sin.
Lock finally understood. Danzō dared to move against him only because he wasn't strong enough to resist. If he were a Sannin… or carried the weight of a clan like the Uchiha… would Danzō have dared?
He forced a bitter smile. "Aren't you afraid the Hokage will find out? Afraid the truth will reach the village?"
He knew the question was hollow, but he needed to buy himself time to think.
Shiro's grip didn't loosen. His expression stayed flat. "Pointless words. Our mission is to capture you. Nothing else matters. As for the others…" His tone darkened. "They were killed by you. Lock, branded a traitor for colluding with Cloud shinobi and murdering comrades."
"You bastard!"
Fury surged. They weren't just hunting him — they were framing him. If the village labeled him a traitor, his life was over. And worse… his mother. His only family. If word spread that her son was a criminal, what would happen to her?
The thought made his blood boil.
"You've pushed me too far."
Shiro sneered. "Even so… what can you do now? You're finished."
But Lock wasn't helpless. He still had one last card.
"You're right," he growled. "I can't win. But I can still take you with me."
With his injured left hand, he tore open his shirt.
"Let's die together!"
Shiro's eyes widened in horror. Lined inside Lock's clothes were over a dozen explosive tags. One alone could tear apart a building. Dozens in this range would annihilate everything within ten meters.
"You—detonators?!"
Panic broke through his calm. Gripping Lock suddenly meant sharing his fate. And Shiro had no intention of dying here.
"Die alone if you want!"
In desperation, he released Lock, kicking him back before the talismans went off. His weapon was still stuck in Lock's side — he didn't care. He only wanted distance.
Lock's lips twisted in a grim smile. "Too late."
"Boom!"
The world vanished in fire. The explosion consumed everything within its radius. Shiro's scream was lost instantly, along with most of the operatives still nearby.
But Lock wasn't among the dead. At the final instant, he had slipped into the void of his assassination technique, phasing into another space as the detonation tore through reality.
When he reappeared four seconds later, the fire had faded, leaving only smoking earth and scattered remains. The air reeked of charred flesh.
Lock staggered, blood dripping from his side, but his gaze was cold as steel.
"If you want to kill me, then be ready to die. I overestimated you, Shiro. You never had the resolve to face death."
He spat to the ground. It had been a gamble — if Shiro had held him tight, they both would have died. But fear had betrayed him.
And now, Shiro was gone.
Lock had survived — barely — clawing his way out of certain death once again.
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