"Lord Hokage!"
"You're here."
The Third Hokage looked up from his desk, relief and gravity in his voice. "I was planning to give you a few more days to rest, but the situation can't wait. You're the fastest in the village, Lock — I have no choice but to send you."
He handed several sealed scrolls across the table, his expression heavy.
Lock frowned. "These are…?"
The Hokage's gaze didn't waver.
"You're to deliver these directly to Jiraiya. As fast as possible."
"Jiraiya-sensei?" Lock asked, startled. "Isn't he still stationed at the border?"
The Third Hokage nodded slowly.
"Yes. That's exactly why this is urgent. You must deliver these to him in person — and after that, you'll operate under his command. If anything happens along the way and you're cornered…" His tone hardened. "Destroy the letters before they fall into anyone's hands. Understood?"
Lock straightened, the weight of the mission settling in his chest. This was no ordinary task. The Third Hokage rarely spoke with such gravity.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," he said firmly. "Understood."
"Good."
The old man's eyes softened, but only slightly. "This is a serious matter, Lock. If something unexpected happens, you might not return to the village for some time. Once you reach Jiraiya, follow his lead."
Lock nodded silently. The thought of not coming back for a long while left a dull ache in his chest — but he didn't hesitate.
He departed immediately.
Even traveling light, Lock avoided overusing his teleportation technique. Speed alone wasn't enough; he had to conserve chakra, move smart, and stay hidden. Three days of nonstop movement later, he finally crossed into the borderlands — a stretch of uneasy silence between Konoha and Iwagakure.
In a small, plain house not far from the front lines, Jiraiya was sprawled across his futon, snoring in a ridiculous pose. His hair fanned out around him like a white mane, one leg thrown over a pillow, his notebook half-open beside him.
He'd been stationed here for weeks — watching Iwagakure's troop movements, keeping the border quiet. But with no open conflict yet, the boredom was slowly killing him.
The man who had once fought entire armies was now… napping.
Suddenly, Jiraiya's eyes snapped open.
"Who's there?"
His hair shot outward like sharpened wires, stabbing toward the corner of the room.
Clang!
"Whoa! Easy there, sensei!" Lock stepped out of the shadows, blocking the attack with a kunai. "That's a hell of a welcome."
Jiraiya relaxed, pulling his hair back with a scowl. "Damn brat. That's how you say hello now?"
Lock grinned. "I just wanted to see if the great Toad Sage had gotten rusty. Turns out you're still sharp — even half asleep."
"Don't flatter me," Jiraiya grumbled, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Lock shrugged, still smiling. "Just testing your reflexes, teacher."
"Yeah, yeah," Jiraiya said, waving him off. "So? You show up from Anbu without warning — I'm guessing the old man sent you?"
Lock's grin faded. He reached into his vest and produced a small sealed packet. "Yes, sir. These are from Lord Hokage. He said to hand them to you personally — and that you should read this one first."
The lightness in Jiraiya's face disappeared. He took the scrolls with both hands, his expression hardening as he broke the first seal and began to read.
For a long moment, the only sound was the rustle of parchment.
By the time he finished, the firelight reflected off his eyes had gone cold. He set the scroll down, then burned it to ash with a single flick of chakra.
Lock waited quietly.
"…Do you know what was written there?" Jiraiya finally asked.
Lock shook his head. "No. I wouldn't dare read a message from the Hokage."
Jiraiya raised a brow. "Wouldn't dare, huh? Since when has that stopped you from doing what you want?"
Lock smirked. "I'm being serious this time."
The older man let out a slow sigh. "Then I'll tell you. The old man's playing a dangerous game again."
He looked out the window toward the mountains.
"Word's spread across the entire ninja world — something happened in the Land of Wind. The Sand village led a massive force to subdue a creature with power rivaling a tailed beast. They lost… badly."
Lock's brows furrowed. "A monster? You mean—"
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "The Hokage leaked that news himself. It's bait, Lock — a message to the other villages. But you know how it is… a spark like this can set off a war."
He folded his arms.
"The old man's trying to test reactions. Find out who moves first."
Lock fell silent, understanding dawning. The tension at the borders. The summons. The secrecy. It all made sense now.
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "He's sharp as ever… but it looks like we're the ones who'll be stuck cleaning up the mess."
Lock met his eyes, calm but resolute. "Then let's get to work."
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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