"Didn't I just say a few words of 'the truth'?"
"Oh, your ability to bear it is too poor!"
Naruto transformed into a small man and wandered the street, feeling utterly dejected.
Moments ago, after telling Ayame about the 'future', she was so overwhelmed that she not only sent him away, but also forbade him to visit her father.
Although Naruto didn't anticipate immediately forging a deep friendship with Ayame based solely on his prophetic words.
But to be so abruptly dismissed? That was too much!
Ah well, she's just an ordinary civilian girl. He figured she'd come around in no time, so he might as well go back and charm her a few more times.
"Woof, woof woof!!"
Deep in thought, Naruto approached the park when the sound of a barking dog startled him back to reality.
Turning around, he spotted a tiny white puppy barreling towards him, grinning.
"Oh, it's Chiya. Do you want to abandon your master and come with me?"
Naruto's smile grew slightly as he knelt down to greet the little pup.
"Idiot Naruto, its name is Akamaru, not Chiya! And watch out, if it bites you, I won't take responsibility!"
Kiba's voice rang out from afar, a hint of glee in his tone. He emerged from a group of flowers, eagerly awaiting the unfolding scene.
After Kiba finished speaking, Akamaru took off with his hind legs, leaping high and aiming for Naruto's face.
If Kiba hadn't given the command, Naruto would never believe such a small puppy could catch him off guard.
Naruto barely touched the back of Akamaru's neck with his hand, gently lifting him.
The Nine Tails Chakra within him seeped out slightly, and Akamaru, who was about to resist, suddenly became as obedient as a... well, a dog.
"Woof!"
Akamaru was so scared he nearly had a heart attack. When he realized Naruto had no intention of causing harm, he transformed into a loyal, adorable pup.
He eagerly wagged his tail, trying to lick Naruto's face, but was rejected.
Kiba, who was now approaching rapidly, was stunned for a moment. This was his dog, right? Why the sudden change of allegiance?
"Hey, Akamaru, what's going on?" Kiba was now enraged and rushing over to intervene.
Surprisingly, Akamaru didn't react at all, instead begging for mercy from Naruto.
Naruto spoke teasingly, "It's not called Akamaru, it's Akaga, Inuzuka Kiba's half-brother. Get it?"
He placed Akamaru back on the ground and petted his head.
Akamaru enjoyed the gesture, then jumped back into Kiba's arms, trembling and refusing to show his head again.
Kiba was still confused about the situation when a figure emerged from the flowers, holding three large gray dogs.
It was Kiba's sister, Inuzuka Hana, dressed in a slightly outdated fashion, yet still looking quite attractive and fit.
"You guys have such a good relationship!"
The figure was none other than Hana herself.
Naruto's eyes lit up as he watched the scene unfold.
"Sister Hana, long time no see!" He called out cheerfully as she approached, dodging Kiba's futile attacks.
"Well, it's been a while since I last saw little Naruto. You're still so adorable!" exclaimed Inuzuka Hana as she approached and playfully rubbed Naruto's head.
"Hey, sis, didn't you hear what I said?" Kiba's mood soured further as he watched his sister cozying up to Naruto.
"Hey, I heard you!" Inuzuka Hana retorted, feigning annoyance. "Isn't it just that you lost to Naruto in the exam? As a man, you should be more gracious!"
"If you're not satisfied, why don't you work on improving your strength and win next time? It's not appropriate for a ninja to take out your frustration outside of competition," she added firmly.
"I know, I know!" Kiba murmured, blushing. "It's like she's not even my sister. She only talks to outsiders!"
Although his voice was barely audible, Inuzuka Hana had no trouble hearing his remark. Her eyes grew wide, and she shot back, "I'm here for friendly advice, not marriage! If you keep causing trouble, I'll deal with you right here and now, and tell everyone!"
Kiba swiftly shrank back, cowering slightly. His companion, Nana, remained silent, too intimidated to speak up.
It was clear from their interactions that Kiba feared this tough older woman quite a bit in his daily life.
Naruto observed the scene with an amused expression. It was evident that the pair had no inkling of his future identity, nor had they heard any rumors about it.
When Naruto had revealed his true colors at the competition, Kiba had fainted.
Upon awakening, the Third Hokage had already deemed it a prank and ordered that no one discuss it further.
Given that neither of Kiba's teammates had the inclination to bring up the topic of the Eight Trigrams, it was unsurprising that Kiba remained in the dark.
"Hey, Naruto!" Kiba called out, teeth gritted. "I just want to ask, what tricks did you use to beat me during the match?"
In the original story, though defeated by what he considered a mere pawn, he had witnessed Naruto's resilience and tactical acumen, making the loss somewhat palatable.
Here, however, he was utterly baffled by his defeat.
How could Kiba ever accept this with his dominant personality?
This was precisely why he had summoned Akamaru to stir up trouble upon spotting Naruto.
"Huh?" Naruto feigned innocence. "I didn't use any tricks. I just flicked you with my hand, and you ended up hitting the wall and passing out."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Kiba's teeth ground together in disbelief.
"Everyone saw it happen. You can ask them if you don't believe me," said Naruto earnestly.
Kiba hesitated, unsure if he had indeed hit the wall.
"It's brought such shame to our Inuzuka family!" Hana exclaimed, rolling her eyes before pointing at Akamaru, who was in Kiba's arms. "And you! You hit the wall by yourself too! What's the point of raising you!"
"That's right!" chimed in Naruto from the side. "It's better to use you for dog meat stew. You'd make a delicious Chiya."
"Ouch~!" Akamaru yelped and curled up in Kiba's arms, visibly shaking.
"Don't scare him, you jerk!" Kiba snapped at Naruto. "And his name is Akamaru, not Chiya!"