Lock paused mid-meal, setting down his chopsticks as his mother's quiet words lingered in the air.
He understood her worry better than anyone. Ever since the last time he'd come home gravely injured, Yuzu had been restless — waking in the middle of the night from nightmares she never spoke about. She'd already lost her husband; the thought of losing her son, too, haunted her.
"Mom," Lock said softly, "I'm already a shinobi. It's too late to turn back now. That last injury was just an accident — it won't happen again."
"Accident?" Yuzu shot him a look, her tone sharp despite the worry in her eyes. "Do you think I don't understand anything? You nearly died, Lock."
He smiled faintly. "Don't worry. There isn't anyone in this world who can kill me that easily."
There was truth in his confidence — even if he came close to death, the Rebirth Spring's chakra could bring him back from the brink.
Yuzu sighed and stood. "Just promise me one thing. Don't push yourself too far. Do what you can, and no more. Don't end up like your father… trying to be a hero without the strength to back it."
Lock chuckled softly, not answering. He barely remembered his father, but his mother's bitterness said enough.
The next day, a messenger arrived at their door, summoning Lock to the Hokage's office.
When he entered, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"Lock," the Hokage began, "I called you here because I have something important to discuss. Your team's jōnin leader, Yuhi Mahiru, has been reassigned to another division. I won't be assigning you a new leader."
Lock nodded silently. He had half-expected this.
"I plan to place Kurenai and Asuma into other teams," Hiruzen continued. "But as for you…" He paused, studying the boy's composed expression. "I'd like to give you a choice."
Lock tilted his head slightly. "A choice, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen smiled faintly. "Your skills — stealth, reconnaissance, assassination — they're exceptional, beyond even some special jōnin. Ordinary team missions would only limit you. I believe you'd be far more valuable… in the ANBU."
Lock's eyes widened slightly. The ANBU — the elite corps that served directly under the Hokage, handling assassination, intelligence, and high-risk covert operations. It was one of the most dangerous assignments in Konoha, but also one of the most trusted.
For a long moment, he was silent. Then, he nodded. The Hokage's reasoning made sense. He preferred to work alone, unseen and precise. The ANBU's methods suited him perfectly.
Hiruzen's gaze softened. "So… will you accept the offer?"
Lock straightened. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I'm willing to join ANBU."
A faint smile tugged at the Hokage's lips. "Good. From this day forward, you will operate under my direct command. You'll answer to no one else."
Lock blinked — that kind of privilege was rare. Even most ANBU members worked under a captain or squad leader. Being under the Hokage directly meant trust of the highest level.
"I won't disappoint you," Lock said firmly.
"I know you won't," Hiruzen replied, puffing from his pipe. "You remind me of your sensei — calm, but with fire beneath the surface."
That evening, Lock was given his ANBU mask — a sleek, fox-faced design — and a codename to replace his real name.
When asked to choose one, he said simply:
"Call me Hidden."
The name fit perfectly. He was the unseen shadow in the village's defense — invisible, precise, and loyal only to Konoha.
Life in the ANBU was unlike anything Lock had experienced before. Missions came fast, often solo, and always dangerous. In just three months, he had completed more than ten assignments — none lower than B-rank. Assassinations, infiltration, silent retrievals — all executed flawlessly.
Though the work was grueling, Lock thrived in it. He preferred this kind of solitude — quiet, focused, without the distractions of a team.
One evening, after returning from a mission, he barely passed through Konoha's gate before an ANBU operative in a cat-faced mask appeared before him.
"Hidden. Hokage-sama requests your presence immediately."
Lock nodded. "Understood."
The messenger vanished as quickly as he'd appeared, leaving Lock alone under the fading sunlight.
He adjusted his mask and exhaled slowly.
Joining the ANBU had changed his life completely — but deep down, he knew this was exactly where he belonged.
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