Chapter 6 .1:
....
Several months had passed since Rasa graduated from the academy. Since then, something had changed. Not in the air.... it remained as dry as ever… nor in the sun, which continued to bake the village with enviable dedication… but in the way people looked at Kiba.
He was now simply the best in his class. And not just his class.
In the whole academy.
Still needed to prove it officially, of course.
And hey, what better opportunity than this: to face in open combat the top fifth-year student, Kobashi.
One of the most respected names among the seniors, not only for his technique, but also for his family: he was part of the extensive and prestigious Chikamatsu family.
Although he didn't have the Chikamatsu surname, and curiously, didn't even use puppets.
Well.... Kiba had never fully understood how that family's internal structure worked. Apparently, one didn't need Chikamatsu blood to be a member. It was more a shared tradition, a legacy adopted like a symbol. Even Chiyo, yes THE Chiyo herself.... the famous puppeteer.... didn't carry the name but was part of the family. And that said it all.
The Chikamatsu family was indeed one of the largest and most important in Suna, if not the largest and most important.... masters of the puppet arts, with Monzaemon Chikamatsu as the inventor of puppetry techniques.... so yes, they were very, very important.
But unlike other families, members typically didn't carry the surname. Civilians and others joined simply by choice or acceptance into the Chikamatsu household.... even if they didn't carry the surname. Like Chiyo or Kiba's upcoming opponent, Kobashi.
Contrary to what many might think, no—not all members used puppets; most did, but many didn't. Kobashi was one of those exceptions.
But today, none of that mattered.
Kiba was standing in the center of the training field, feet firm on the warmed sand.
"Begin," announced the sensei in a clear voice.
The sound of Kobashi's steps came first. Light, steady. Kiba felt the air compress slightly before him and knew the first attack was coming from above.
A whisper of wind.
A hiss of metal.
Kiba raised his left arm and deflected the thrown kunai with a simple twist of his wrist and his own kunai. Nothing special. Basic.
Too basic. Too easy for him.
'We're starting with thrown pointy things? How cliché,' he thought to himself.... yea ninja fights always started this way, even though it hardly ever did any real damage.
Then he felt the mold of hand signs. Chakra gathering. And before the air could fully shift, he heard the familiar hum of a wind jutsu: Fūton: Kamikaze.
Small whirlwinds formed and rushed at him like unruly puppies.
Kiba reacted calmly. He completed his own seals and raised a wall of earth, solid like an improvised barricade. The sand creaked and compressed as it solidified.
'First metal, now wind. What next, fire?' he wondered with amusement, adjusting behind the wall.
But there was no pause.
Kobashi doubled the attack with another jutsu: Fūton: Shinkūgyoku.... wind bullets launched from his mouth with quite decent accuracy. Decent for a student. But not enough for him.
The wind bullets smashed through the wall violently. Kiba felt the earth collapse under pressure… But he was ready.
A quick finger movement.... and three seals activated. Immediately, his puppets emerged from sealed space: One, Piece, and his newest favorite: Barto.
Barto was a tank. The newest and heaviest of his puppets, with a pure iron shield that squeaked slightly at each movement. Perfect for absorbing impacts.
The wind bullets collided with it with a dull buzz.
'Not even a tickle,' thought Kiba as he sprang into action.
While Barto held the line, One and Piece darted at Kobashi from opposite flanks, launching bursts of pressure and hidden blades. Amid the chaos, Kiba moved too.
He leaped, spun, and landed to the side, using only his legs to strike and evade with surgical precision. His style was an unorthodox hybrid: puppets and taijutsu blended into a single dance.
And not everyone could follow that dance.
Kobashi began to lose his rhythm.
'He's no Rasa,' Kiba thought. 'He can't keep up with attacks on two fronts.'
Still, his opponent tried. He used every wind jutsu he had and even attempted to push Kiba with a chakra-driven sand burst. But none of it gave him space.
The problem was simple.
Three puppets, plus a speed-attacking user from unexpected angles, plus the fact that the user was blind but seemed to see you better than you see him…
Yes, it was too much.
Kiba noticed when Kobashi began slowing down his movements. Looking at the puppets more than at him. And that was his mistake.
Kiba crouched. Quiet.
He toned down his chakra.
And let the puppets put on a small visual show followed by constant attacks to draw attention.
A few steps later, he was behind Kobashi.
And then, without a word, he used his leg to deliver a direct, solid strike.... right behind the nape.
It wasn't brutal. But it was perfect.... precise.
"W-when…?" was the last thing Kobashi managed to say before collapsing in the sand.
Silence.
First silence.
Then a general whisper. Whispered voices. A couple of isolated shouts.
And then.... applause.
A lot of it.
The teacher didn't hesitate to raise her hand and declare:
"Kiba Jiki. Victory"
Kiba said nothing. He simply crouched slightly, pulled in his chakra threads, and stored his puppets with precise movements.
Barto squeaked as it closed... like a metallic yawn.
"Nice job," murmured Kiba to the puppet, briefly touching the shield with his knuckles.
Among the students, reactions varied. Some stared in astonishment. Others with silent admiration. And a few.... those who didn't know him well yet... with a hint of suspicion.
But that didn't bother him.
The teacher, meanwhile, crouched beside Kobashi, checked he was okay (just unconscious), and lifted an eyebrow as if she wasn't surprised… but still impressed.
"Combining taijutsu with puppets in real time… at that level," she murmured to herself. " Yeah… still amazes me after all this time. This kid is going to give the council more than a few headaches."
Kiba turned his gaze toward her. He smiled.
"Was that a compliment?"
"That was a prediction," she replied, her expression almost smiling. Oh, she had no idea how right she was.
Kiba just grinned, amused, then reflected briefly on the fight. It hadn't been hard. He no longer had rivals in the academy, and truthfully, this match wasn't even real training for him. But it had been necessary.
He needed to be seen.
He had to keep earning respect and be recognized by more and more people as a prodigy.
And a uniquely skilled one…
Kiba Jiki. The only puppeteer in Suna who fought upfront.... with his legs always moving, attacking, and puppets dancing behind him like loyal shadows.
And a part of him couldn't help smiling with pride.
Not for the recognition.
But because… the plan was working.
Step by step.
Yes.... it had been a job well done so far.
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