The next morning, the air in the training ground felt different. The gentle warmth of the morning sun couldn't dispel the tension hanging between them. Yesterday was about funny chaos and strange introductions. Today was about business. Yuji and the others sat on the grass, forming a semicircle in front of their teacher. Tsukasa was no longer wearing his usual lazy smile. The smile was still there, but now there was a sharp glint in his eyes, the glint of a predator sizing up its prey.
"Alright, my little soldiers," Tsukasa began, his cheerful voice now having a serious undertone. "Yesterday was about having fun. Today, we're going to see what you can really do. We're moving on to the next level."
He paused, his sharp eyes looking at them one by one. "I want you to fight each other. Not just taijutsu. I want to see everything. Use all your abilities, ninjutsu, genjutsu if you can, tools, strategy, deception, I don't care. Show me what makes you worthy of wearing that headband."
He grinned, and this time his smile looked a little dangerous. "I'm going to see what your abilities are, where your strengths are, and more importantly, where your weaknesses are. And then," he said, clapping his hands together. "We'll start working on training those specific areas. Understood?"
Kiba's enthusiasm immediately exploded. "FINALLY!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Akamaru, perched on his head, barked with the same excitement.
"Hah! This will be easy!" Kiba continued, pointing at himself with his thumb. "Me and Akamaru are a great team! We're unbeatable!" Then, he turned to Yuji, his smile widening into a challenging grin. "And you! I'm going to get you back for everything you did at the academy! All those condescending looks!"
Yuji, who was stretching his wrists, just glanced at him briefly. "Adding a dog won't make you win," he said, rolling his eyes.
It was the truth, at least from Yuji's perspective. He no longer felt intimidated. For years, he had been saving and honing his preparations. Inside his ninja pouch strapped to his thigh, there was more than just standard kunai and shuriken. And in his hand, which he held casually, was his ace.
His mask. The one he had named in the silence of his room: Joke of Sorrow.
It wasn't just a carved piece of wood. It was the result of years of secretly studying Fūinjutsu, a ninja tool he had specifically designed to cover his weaknesses and maximize his strengths. Behind its ridiculously crying face, a complex system was hidden.
First, his Water Element. By channeling water chakra through the finely carved "tear" grooves on the mask, he could create a Water Powder Mist. The mist was extremely fine, almost invisible to the naked eye, but enough to drastically increase the humidity of the air around him, making it easier and faster to use larger water jutsu. But that wasn't its main function. Every micro-droplet in the mist served as a sensor. With Chakra, he could "feel" any movement within his mist area, even the fastest ones.
Second, his Medical-nin function. By placing a finger on the same tear groove, he could create a Diagnosis Droplet. A highly concentrated drop of water at his fingertip that, if touched to an opponent, could analyze weak points or detect traces of poison. It was a diagnostic ability, not a healing one, but in a fight, information was everything.
And finally, the Psychological aspect. The mask's perpetually "crying" face was a weapon in itself. It was unsettling. It made opponents underestimate him, thinking he was passive or weak. A perfect trap to make them let their guard down before being ambushed in his sensory mist.
Sure, it had weaknesses. A strong Wind Release jutsu could blow his mist away. And it required a constant flow of chakra. But it was his weapon.
Besides the mask, he had also perfected a few jutsu. The water-spitting jutsu was now strong enough to shatter a rock the size of his head. A massive wave jutsu that consumed a lot of chakra, but was worth the price. And of course, the technique of hiding in a puddle of water, which, although it seemed useless now, he could always create his own puddle.
"Akamaru is not just a dog, you weirdo!" Kiba snapped, breaking Yuji's reverie. He was already standing, pointing an accusing finger at Yuji. "He's my partner! He's an Inuzuka! He's a hundred times better than you!"
"I don't doubt that," Yuji said flatly. "I'm just saying that two against one still isn't enough."
"Oh yeah?! You're only good at those boring taijutsu fights at the academy! You don't know anything about a real fight!"
"And you do?" Yuji asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought your last real fight was with a cat because you tried to take its fish."
Kiba's face turned red. "That... that was a very cunning cat! And that has nothing to do with this!"
"Of course not."
While the two of them continued to bicker, Masami just watched them with her usual flat expression, as if she were observing two stupid insects fighting. Her dark eyes shifted from Yuji to Kiba, analyzing, but showing no emotion.
Tsukasa, who had let them argue for a few minutes, finally laughed nervously and stepped between them. "Alright, alright! I know you're excited, but don't waste your energy on a war of words. The training hasn't even started."
He pointed to the spacious training ground. "Now, warm up first. Run five laps. Do some stretching. I don't want anyone getting a sprain on my first day as a teacher. That would leave a bad mark on my record."
They all warmed up reluctantly, in the case of Yuji and Kiba who were still glaring at each other. And with quiet efficiency in Masami's case. After their muscles were warm enough and their breathing a little faster, Tsukasa gathered them back in the center.
"Good," he said, his smile returning. "Now that your personal animosities are a little heated up, let's start with that. Yuji! Kiba! You're first."
Kiba grinned widely, showing his canines. "Finally."
Yuji just nodded, putting on his mask. The ridiculous crying face covered his own expressionless one. The air around him immediately felt a little more humid.
"The rules are simple," Tsukasa said, jumping back to give them space. "Use whatever you have. The fight ends if one of you can't continue, gives up, or if I decide you've had enough fun. Masami, you and I will be the audience."
He looked at the two opponents. "Ready?"
Kiba crouched low, Akamaru leaping from his head and landing beside him, growling softly. They moved in unison, a reflection of their bond.
Yuji just stood tall, his hands hanging loosely at his sides. Behind his mask, his eyes were scanning everything, feeling the micro-droplets of water beginning to fill the air around him.
"Don't worry about using your techniques," Tsukasa added, his voice becoming a little more serious. "If it gets too dangerous, I'll save you." He winked. "Maybe."
He raised his hand.
"Begin!"
..
The word "Begin!" from Tsukasa-sensei seemed to be a trigger for Kiba. He didn't wait. He didn't analyze. He exploded.
With a low growl that was more beast than human, Kiba immediately charged. He shot across the dusty ground with incredible speed, his body low to the ground, every muscle tensed for the first attack. Akamaru ran at his side, their movements perfectly synchronized, two furry projectiles heading straight for Yuji.
However, the Yuji of now was not the same Yuji who had been humiliated by Naruto years ago. He no longer relied solely on his older brain. Months of brutal training with Iruka had honed his reflexes, embedding responses within his muscles. His speed was not lacking either.
When Kiba was just a few feet away, Yuji didn't panic. He bent his knees, pushed off the ground, and retreated with an efficient, spinning backflip. He landed lightly on his feet, already creating a distance of about ten feet between them. And while he was still in the air, his hands were already moving.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three shuriken shot from his hand, spinning through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aimed at Kiba from different angles.
"Hah! Too slow!" Kiba exclaimed. He weaved with impressive agility, his body twisting and ducking, letting the three metal weapons fly past him without touching a single hair.
But Yuji wasn't done. As the shuriken passed Kiba, Yuji flicked his fingers. Thin, almost invisible chakra threads, which he had attached to each shuriken before throwing them, tensed. With a sharp tug, the three shuriken stopped in mid-air, reversed direction, and shot back towards Kiba's unguarded back.
"Akamaru!"
The white puppy barked loudly, a sharp warning. Kiba, whose senses were heightened by his clan's bond, reacted instantly. He didn't turn. He just spun on the spot, one hand swinging back and deflecting two shuriken with a kunai, while he ducked to avoid the third. The sharp sound of clanging metal echoed across the field.
Using the momentum of his spin, Kiba didn't stop. He kept moving forward, turning his defense into an attack. He leaped at Yuji, his fingers forming claws.
It wasn't a powerful spinning technique, this was its basic version, a fast and ferocious double claw attack. But Yuji had anticipated it. He ducked low, letting Kiba's claws miss by inches above his mask. The wind from the attack rustled his hair.
As Kiba missed and passed behind him, Yuji saw an opening. He pivoted on his heel and launched a straight punch at Kiba's back. But Kiba, though aggressive, was not stupid. He felt the attack coming and parried it with his elbow, creating a dull thud.
At the same time, Akamaru, who had been circling around them, attacked from the side, aiming for Yuji's legs. Yuji had no choice. With an annoyed grunt, he lifted his leg and delivered a light but firm kick to Akamaru's side, pushing the puppy away. He felt a little guilty, it wasn't the dog's fault, but in a fight, there was no room for hesitation.
The brief distraction was enough for Kiba to create distance again. They were back to facing each other, panting.
"Not bad, weirdo," Kiba said, his grin returning. "You've got a few tricks."
"I'm just getting started," Yuji replied from behind his mask.
He formed a series of hand seals quickly. He lifted the bottom of his mask slightly, took a deep breath, and spat out a high-pressure stream of water.
Again, Kiba was too fast. He leaped to the side, and the water jutsu only hit the ground, creating a large, muddy puddle.
"You missed!" Kiba taunted.
The taijutsu battle began in earnest. Yuji pulled out a kunai, its gleaming blade catching the sunlight. Kiba did the same. The sound of clashing metal filled the air as they exchanged blows, kicks, and slashes. Yuji struck, Kiba parried. Kiba stabbed, Yuji dodged. It was a fast and dangerous dance. Yuji could feel the power behind Kiba's attacks, a raw strength driven by pure fighting spirit. But he could also feel the lack of precision, the small openings in his defense every time he attacked with too much gusto.
Yuji, on the other hand, fought with a cold efficiency. Every movement was calculated. Every block was designed to redirect, not just to hold. Every attack was aimed at a weak point. This was the fighting style that Iruka had drilled into him: don't waste energy, don't waste movement.
After another fierce exchange, they pushed each other back, landing solidly on their feet. Both were panting.
"Okay, no more playing around!" Kiba yelled, his expression becoming more feral. He gave his partner a pill, "Come on, Akamaru! Beast Human Clone!"
With a puff of smoke, Akamaru transformed into a perfect replica of Kiba. Now there were two Kibas crouching across from Yuji, both grinning with the same canine teeth.
"Now what are you gonna do?" the real Kiba yelled.
Then, they attacked.
"GATSŪGA!"
This time, it was the real technique. Kiba and the transformed Akamaru, both began to spin at an incredible speed, becoming two living drills that shot towards Yuji from two different directions, tearing up the ground as they moved.
Yuji saw them coming. He couldn't face the attack head-on. He also couldn't dodge both of them at the same time. He only had one option.
He leaped back, landing right in the middle of the large puddle he had created earlier. And as the two spinning drills were about to reach him, he formed a hand seal.
Hiding in Water Puddle Technique.
By channeling chakra into the water beneath his feet, he turned his body into liquid and merged with the puddle, disappearing from sight just before the Gatsūga hit where he had been standing.
The two Kibas collided with each other in the middle of the puddle with a loud thud, creating a huge splash and leaving them both dizzy.
Beneath the murky surface of the water, Yuji thought. 'Huh, this isn't a fight! It's more like a dodging competition! He has speed and raw power. I have technique and a little bit of strategy. We're just going to wear each other out like this.'
He was going to end this. Now.
While Kiba and Akamaru were still trying to regain their balance, Yuji began to act. From within the puddle, he touched the inside of his mask, right on the "tear" groove. He flowed his chakra.
Above the surface, the air across the entire training ground began to change. The invisible mist, spreading rapidly from the puddle, filled the entire area with a dense humidity. Kiba and Akamaru might have only felt it as the air suddenly becoming heavier, but for Yuji, it was his spider's web. Every movement, every shift in weight, every beat of Kiba's accelerated heart, was felt by him through the countless micro-droplets of water.
He could feel Kiba and Akamaru separating, trying to flank the puddle. They didn't know that they were already trapped.
'Now,' Yuji thought.
He began to form hand seals within the water, a longer and more complex sequence than before. He drew a massive amount of chakra from within himself, more than he had ever used in a single jutsu before.
Then, he released his jutsu.
Water Release: Great Water Explosion Wave!
The ground beneath Kiba and Akamaru began to tremble. The puddle in the middle of the field was no longer calm. It began to churn, to bubble, as if something massive was rising from its depths.
"What's that?!" Kiba yelled, looking at the puddle warily.
And then, the water exploded upwards.
It wasn't just a jet. It was a raging wall of water, a mini-tsunami born from a simple puddle. The jutsu, now enhanced by the humidity created by his mask, became much larger and faster than it should have been. The deafening roar of water filled the air.
Through his mist sensors, Yuji could feel the surge of panic from Kiba. He could feel where Kiba was with perfect precision.
Yuji saw through the water as Kiba was taken by surprise, his eyes widening in horror. He tried to dodge, tried to leap to the side. But it was impossible and the "underestimation" effect of the mask was still there, so mixed with panic, it slowed down his thinking! The wave was too big, too fast. His mask didn't just amplify the jutsu; it also accelerated the water's movement, giving it a terrifying momentum.
Yuji felt Kiba close his eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact.
Right at that moment, a shadow shot between them.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Tsukasa-sensei stood there, his hands pressed to the ground. In front of him, a thick, sturdy wall of rock erupted from the earth, blocking the path of the wave.
CRACK!
The impact between water and earth was immense. The rock wall trembled violently, cracks appearing on its surface. Water splashed high into the air, creating an artificial rain across the entire field. For a few seconds, the two jutsu pushed against each other, a raw elemental battle. Finally, the wave's power subsided, and the earth wall crumbled into a pile of rubble and mud.
When everything settled, the training ground was destroyed. A large puddle covered most of the area, with chunks of rock scattered everywhere.
Yuji emerged from the puddle, panting. Using a jutsu that big had drained almost all of his chakra, he wouldn't have used it if he wasn't sure he could end this. His legs felt a little shaky. But he was smiling behind his mask.
He saw Kiba, soaked and covered in mud, and also Tsukasa-sensei, who was standing among the rubble of his earth wall.
And he saw Masami, who was standing at the edge of the field, no longer with her usual flat expression. Her dark eyes were wide with shock.
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