Chapter 12: Beginning of Elemental Training
The night was quiet. Kiba knelt on the damp ground of a secluded clearing, far from the house and the clan's busier paths. Akamaru and Yun accompanied him, sitting a few meters away, alert but silent.
He placed both hands firmly on the earth and closed his eyes.
*'Earth Style (Doton) training consists of changing the type of my own chakra so it gains the property of earth. Hardening, crumbling, manipulating soil and rock…'*
He focused chakra into his hands and began altering its nature. Instead of just circulating it, he tried to make it denser, heavier, more stable.
*'Nature Transformation. Learning to alter the property of chakra to affect and destroy solid objects.'*
The ground beneath his palms trembled slightly. Small cracks formed, almost imperceptible.
Kiba increased the chakra pressure, sending waves into the soil.
*'Many basic techniques require placing the hands on the ground to send chakra waves and crack the earth.'*
The ground split a little further. A thin line opened in front of him. It wasn't anything grand, but it was already a result.
He looked up and studied his own body in the moonlight. Thin arms, but already with more defined muscle than most children his age. Hands calloused from constant training. His chest rising and falling with controlled breathing.
*'My physique is still developing… but it's already well above normal for my age. The daily training is paying off.'*
He turned his attention back to the earth. He tried to shape a small mound, then a low column, then a flatter, hardened surface. Some attempts failed. Others held for a few seconds before crumbling. Little by little, he began to understand the necessary rhythm.
*'The Earth element is for creating defenses as hard as stone, walls of mud, or altering the terrain around. It's not just offense. It's control of the battlefield.'*
As he trained, his eyes turned to the two ninken.
Akamaru was bigger and more muscular than he should have been for his age. Yun, the black-furred one, had an even more solid and controlled presence. Both already showed strength, speed, and endurance far above expectations.
*'They're already at the level the original Akamaru was at when Kiba became a genin… and they're still pups. Tsume trained them well. And so did I.'*
Kiba continued training for over an hour. He alternated between densifying his chakra, sending waves to crack the ground, and trying to shape small forms. Fatigue set in, but he didn't stop until he felt his reserves were at a safe limit.
When he finally stood up, he wiped his hands on his pants and looked once more at his own body.
His shoulders were a bit broader. His legs steady. His posture straight and stable.
*'Still a lot of growing to do… but the foundation is being built.'*
Akamaru approached and pushed his snout against Kiba's hand. Yun stayed a little further back, watching the surroundings carefully.
Kiba stroked Akamaru's head and murmured quietly:
"You two are already too strong for your age."
He looked at the cracked ground beneath his feet and smiled faintly.
*'One step at a time. Earth doesn't rush… and neither do I.'*
With his chakra reserves low but his mind clear, Kiba began walking back home, followed by the two ninken.
End of Chapter 12