Chapter 3: Five Years and First Choices
Five years had passed since the day he woke up trapped in that body.
Kiba was now five years old, and he'd made significant progress in his private training. His fingers moved with extreme speed — he could form complete sequences of random seals in a matter of seconds, even without releasing chakra. It was just motor practice, but the results were visible.
*'If I keep this up, I'll be able to summon jutsu much faster than most.'*
Internally, he controlled his chakra perfectly. He could circulate it through his whole body without effort. Over time, he started practicing controlled release, using leaves placed on his forehead. He released small amounts cautiously, just enough to move the leaf. Nothing more.
*'I'm not going to risk it. I'm still young. My reserves are too small for mistakes.'*
He had also developed two new abilities. The first was **sensing chakra**. At first, whenever Tsume or Hana hugged him, he'd concentrate on feeling their energy. Over time, he could detect them from a few steps away. Now, at five, he could pinpoint exactly where they were inside the house just from the presence of their chakra.
The second was his **sense of smell**. Since he was small, he'd noticed his nose was absurdly sharper than in his previous life. He could smell food being prepared at the neighbors' house. With that in mind, he began actively training it: breaking down a single "big smell" into dozens of individual traces. On top of that, he infused chakra into his nose to sharpen the sensitivity even further.
*'The sharper the sense of smell, the better for tracking, hunting, or avoiding ambushes.'*
---
On a sunny afternoon, Tsume and Hana came into his room, excited.
"Kiba! We're going to the clan festival today!" Hana exclaimed, noticeably taller now, her body starting to develop — more pronounced curves, though still far from Tsume's.
Tsume smiled sideways, arms crossed.
"You're coming, right?"
Kiba simply nodded calmly.
"Quiet as always..." Tsume murmured with a half-smile.
Hana grabbed his hand eagerly and started pulling him along.
"It's going to be great! Today's the day we choose the ninken! All the puppies are waiting there!"
Kiba walked between the two of them, holding a hand on each side. Along the way, they ran into an elderly civilian woman, a longtime friend of Tsume's. The old woman's eyes widened when she saw him.
"Goodness, Tsume! It's rare to see this boy out of the house. He barely ever comes out!"
Tsume laughed loudly.
"Yeah. He's quiet just like the Naras. All he needs now is to lie in the grass and watch clouds all day."
Kiba said nothing, just kept walking.
They arrived at the clan's large courtyard, full of children his age. Tsume crouched down and whispered in his ear:
"Go on. Go mingle with them."
He nodded and obeyed.
An elderly man with red marks on his cheeks climbed onto a small stage and began his speech:
"Today we celebrate our bond with animals! You, little ones of the Inuzuka clan, will choose your life companions. Be worthy of them!"
The children were called up one by one. When it was Kiba's turn, the old man looked at him with surprise.
"So you're Tsume's son, huh? A fierce kunoichi. Someday you'll have to become a great ninja like her, little one."
The old man ruffled his hair. Kiba just nodded.
"A boy of few words, eh? Haha!"
The old man took his hand and led him into a tent lit by torches. Inside was a pen with dozens of dog puppies. Kiba stepped forward and looked around.
In a more hidden corner, he saw a white puppy with brown ears — the only one with those markings — exactly how Akamaru was supposed to look. *'Smart and loyal in the future. An asset.'*
But his eyes were drawn to a dark corner. A completely black puppy that the other dogs seemed to avoid. Kiba thought it over for a few seconds and made his decision.
He pointed at both of them.
"Sir... I choose these two."
The old man blinked, surprised, then broke into laughter.
"Hahaha! My mistake for not saying how many. But since you're Tsume's son, raising two pups shouldn't be a problem!"
---
Kiba left the tent with a puppy in each arm. Tsume and Hana came over right away, looking puzzled.
"Two?!" Hana asked.
"The old man allowed it," Kiba answered calmly.
On the way back home, he studied the two of them. The white puppy was outgoing, licking his face nonstop. The dark-furred one was quiet, almost introspective, staying calm in his arms.
Kiba stroked the white one's head.
"You'll be called Akamaru."
Then he stroked the black one.
"And you'll be called Yun."
Both puppies seemed to react to the sound of their names. Kiba allowed himself a faint inner smile.
'Two companions. I'll make them strong.'
---
End of Chapter 3