Kiba's Provocation

Inuzuka Kiba kept his word.

Early the next morning, before the Academy had officially started classes, he had already dragged several people to wait beside the obstacle training ground. Wooden posts, rope nets, shallow pits, and staggered platforms of varying heights divided the field into fragments. This kind of place tested explosiveness, balance, and on-the-spot reactions most, and it was also the area children loved using to compete against one another.

"Uchiha Clan, want a match?"

Seeing Ling approach, Kiba raised his chin without the slightest politeness.

"Not an official duel. We'll compete in crossing speed and number of targets hit. Whoever's faster wins."

People immediately gathered around them. Even Ino stood off to the side with an excited expression, while Hinata alone looked somewhat nervous, as though afraid things would get out of hand.

Ling glanced over the field and quickly made his assessment.

There were too many obstacles. The advantage of straight-line bursts would be weakened, while turns and bodily control would matter more. For someone still adapting to compressed chakra, this was not the most comfortable terrain.

Kiba had probably chosen it for exactly that reason.

"Fine." Ling agreed calmly.

Iruka happened to be walking over from nearby. Seeing the scene, he frowned, but he did not stop them immediately. He could tell that the competition between the children could no longer be suppressed. Rather than block it, it was better to keep it under his watch.

"I'll add the rules." Iruka walked to the edge of the field and said gravely, "Only basic taijutsu and ordinary chakra enhancement are allowed. No ninjutsu, and no deliberately injuring anyone."

Kiba grinned. "No problem."

The instant it began, he shot forward like a real little beast.

The Inuzuka Clan's use of their bodies was instinctively closer to nature. Kiba stepped across the wooden posts and vaulted over the rope nets with movements that were clean yet wild, barely pausing at all. He had clearly run this course countless times. The watching children immediately burst into cries of surprise.

Ling started half a step behind, not rushing to chase him head-on.

He saw it clearly. Kiba's strength lay in stringing continuous movements together seamlessly. If Ling dumped all his compressed explosive power into the start, the backlash through his chakra pathways would only drag down his rhythm in the latter half.

So he stabilized himself first.

Step, turn, borrow momentum, breathe.

The Divine Pattern Eye was not fully activated. He only used it lightly to judge the distances between obstacles. During the first half, he even deliberately held back his speed, allowing his body to fully keep up with the rhythm. Kiba had initially worried that Ling would suddenly catch up in the middle, but as he ran, he found that the distance behind him never narrowed. The corner of his mouth immediately lifted.

"That's all?"

He turned his head and shouted provocatively.

Ling ignored him.

The next moment, both of them charged into the final section of staggered platforms. Kiba habitually prepared to race straight across them in a continuous sequence, but at that instant, Ling suddenly poured compressed chakra into the soles of his feet.

Bang!

His speed abruptly surged.

It was not a prolonged burst, only two extremely brief, point-blank accelerations. Yet because they were so short, the burden was actually lighter than usual. Kiba had just landed on the second platform when Ling used his third turn to cut past him from the outside.

"What?!"

Kiba's pupils contracted as he hurriedly changed direction to pursue.

But the throwing targets were right before the finish line. Ling landed first, and three wooden kunai flew from his hand almost simultaneously. Two struck the center, while one grazed the edge and embedded itself there. Kiba followed close behind. His speed was not slow, but he hit half a target fewer than Ling.

An uproar immediately broke out beside the field.

"He overtook him!"

"How did he suddenly get so fast in those final steps?"

Kiba stood where he was, his chest heaving visibly as he stared at the targets by the finish line for a long time without speaking. His loss had not been ugly, but it was especially frustrating. Ling had not suppressed him the entire way—instead, he had overtaken him at the point where Kiba had been most confident.

"What was that just now?" Kiba could not help asking.

"Speed." Ling answered flatly.

"Bullshit!"

The onlookers broke into laughter. Even Ino nearly laughed aloud. Kiba's face darkened further, but no matter how dark it became, he could not deny what had just happened.

Iruka watched Ling's slightly unsteady stance, but his gaze was heavier than anyone else's.

Others had only seen the overtake. What he saw was something else.

Ling had begun to learn how to split apart that dangerous explosive power and use it in pieces, rather than blasting it out at full force every time.

That was an excellent sign.

And also a sign that made him even more wary.

After the match ended, Kiba wiped the sweat from his forehead with a sullen expression, then raised his chin. "You win today. Next time, we'll switch to a real sparring class."

He sounded unconvinced, but he no longer regarded Ling as someone who was all show and no substance.

Ling nodded. "Anytime."

Kiba turned and took two steps, then looked back and added, "But that kind of sudden acceleration of yours can't last long, can it?"

Ling did not answer.

That silence instead seemed like an admission, making Kiba's eyes light up slightly.

If an opponent had a weakness, it meant there was still a chance to fight.

After morning classes began, the result from the obstacle field quickly spread through the class. Many had originally thought Ling was only exceptional with weapons and Fire Release, but today they truly realized that his explosive speed was just as terrifying. Even Sasuke glanced at him twice more during class.

During lunch break, Ino set her lunch box on the desk, propped up her chin, and smiled. "Aren't you showing off a little too often lately?"

Ling replied blandly, "I didn't pick these fights."

"But you win every time." Ino blinked. "People like that are the ones others think about most."

As she spoke, she casually brushed a bit of dust from his shoulder. The gesture was as natural as though she had long been used to leaning close to him. When she realized what she had done, she froze slightly, but quickly withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened.

Ling looked up at her.

Ino, however, leaned closer as though she had not noticed, lowering her voice. "Especially certain people who are already used to being watched by everyone else."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Sasuke.

Ling did not continue the topic, but he knew Ino was right.

He had risen far too quickly lately.

So quickly that not only ordinary students, but even several genuine geniuses had begun to turn their attention toward him.

And that was exactly the result he wanted.

Only by standing at the very front could many things hidden in the shadows truly begin to take shape.