"Jiraiya-sensei… It's not that I wanted to hide anything from you," Lock said quietly, his tone hesitant but firm. "You know my situation better than anyone. I told you before—I could feel that my abilities weren't finished, that they still had room to grow. Right before the Chūnin Exams… two more abilities awakened."
"Two?" Jiraiya leaned forward, interest sparking in his eyes. "Besides that teleportation trick you pulled off, what else?"
Lock nodded. He wasn't surprised Jiraiya had already seen through most of it—he had been shadowing him during the Exams after all. Jiraiya had seen it clearly: no hand signs, no delay, just sudden movement faster than a Body Flicker. A true teleportation, placing him right behind his enemy.
But when Lock mentioned there were two abilities, Jiraiya frowned, thinking back.
"…Don't tell me. The second one is that smoke of yours?"
Lock gave a faint smile and raised his thumb. "As expected of you, Jiraiya-sensei. I call it Smoke Screen. It's not really smoke, though. It's a field I generate with my chakra. Inside it… No ninjutsu can be used. Only taijutsu. Step outside the field, and ninjutsu works again."
Jiraiya's brows shot up. "What?" He immediately stood straighter, a gleam of disbelief in his eyes. "Show me."
Lock didn't hesitate. He released chakra, and the translucent haze spread around them like a silent dome.
A second later, Jiraiya hissed sharply. "Tch—! He's right. My chakra flow won't mold properly. I can't weave jutsu in here." He looked around, eyes wide with surprise. "Incredible… what the hell's the principle behind this?"
Lock shrugged, a little sheepish. "I don't know. But I think… It's similar to my invisibility technique. Something innate in me."
Jiraiya's expression hardened into doubt. "Innate or not, even a kekkei genkai doesn't just hand you three entirely different abilities. Invisibility, Smoke Screen, and that teleportation—you're mixing illusions, chakra suppression, and spatial jutsu. They're worlds apart."
"I don't know either," Lock replied, keeping his voice even. "If anyone asks, I'll just say it's my kekkei genkai. Explaining beyond that… isn't my problem."
While they spoke, the haze dissipated, vanishing into the air.
"Gone already?" Jiraiya asked, glancing around.
Lock nodded. "The Smoke Screen only lasts about six seconds. Once I use it, I need time before I can cast it again."
"Hah. Figures." Jiraiya's face relaxed slightly as he rubbed his chin. "Good thing, too. If it could last indefinitely, that'd be a nightmare—taijutsu-only fields that could shut down every ninjutsu user in sight? You'd be the ultimate ninja killer. But the range is small, and speed-types can escape it in a few steps. Balanced enough."
As expected of one of the Legendary Sannin—even when he seemed like a fool, Jiraiya's insight cut straight to the heart. He had identified the ability's strengths and flaws instantly.
"But compared to Smoke Screen," Jiraiya continued, his gaze narrowing, "your teleportation… that's the real monster."
Lock exhaled slowly. "…I've been calling it Blink Strike. It's like a teleportation technique, but with strict limits. It guzzles chakra all at once. I can only use it within a certain distance, and I can only appear behind an enemy I can see. If they're outside my vision, I can't use it."
Jiraiya listened intently, nodding, his expression turning more serious with every word. "That's a terrifying move. To appear behind an enemy instantly? That's a one-hit kill jutsu if I've ever seen one. The restrictions keep it in check, but in a duel, that could end a fight in a heartbeat. In team battles, though, those flaws could get you killed."
His tone dropped, weighted with experience. "No ninjutsu is perfect, Lock. Even kekkei genkai. Every technique that looks unstoppable carries weaknesses. The key is hiding those weaknesses so your enemy never sees them. You've done well so far."
Then Jiraiya's eyes sharpened. His playful grin was gone; in its place was a mentor's grave authority.
"But remember this, Lock—no one can know about these new abilities. Not a word. Not to your teammates, not to your friends, not even to the Hokage. Only me. And for the next two years, you must not reveal when or how you awakened them. Better yet… don't use them at all unless you have no choice. Understand?"
Lock's breath caught. "…Sensei, you're worried someone will connect me to the Hyūga boy?"
"Worried?" Jiraiya scoffed, though his eyes were hard. "You think this is a game? What you did in the Forest of Death—decisive when killing, sure. But covering it up? Sloppy. If I hadn't stepped in and cleaned up after you, you'd already be in chains. You're green, Lock. Too green."
Lock grimaced. He had suspected as much when Jiraiya brought it up before, but hearing it aloud still made his stomach twist. He thought he had been careful—yet his own sensei had been forced to erase his mistakes.
"Jiraiya-sensei…" His voice was quiet, heavy with guilt. "Thank you."
Jiraiya waved him off like it was nothing. "Bah. You're my disciple. You think I'd stand by while you get buried? No way. If you really want to thank me, then do something for me instead—work harder. Grow stronger. And when the time comes, fight for this village. Because this… is your home."
Lock's throat tightened. Jiraiya's words hit harder than any scolding.
Yes—Danzo's malice loomed like a shadow. But beyond that? The Third Hokage had raised him. Jiraiya had guided him, protected him. Minato, Kushina, Kurenai, Kakashi… all of them had treated him as one of their own.
If bonds existed in this world, they were here, in Konoha. These people had given him something he never thought he'd have: a place to belong.
Lock bowed his head. "…I promise, Sensei. I won't waste what you've done for me."
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