Kiba (Naruto)

Kabuto stood by the ward window, his sharp eyes fixed on the unconscious Sasuke lying motionless in the sterile white room.

A smirk curled his lips another step in their plan had succeeded. Without wasting another moment, he turned and slipped away, eager to deliver the news to his master, Orochimaru.

Not long after, Kiba arrived to take his turn watching over Sasuke. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, his footsteps quiet against the tiled floor.

Settling into a chair beside the bed, he studied the Uchiha's pale face before his gaze dropped to the side of Sasuke's neck. There it was the unmistakable three-tomoe seal, dark against his skin.

'Orochimaru's already marked him. He's moving faster this time. Maybe because Kakashi isn't his sensei without that obstacle, he's less cautious.'

Kiba pressed his fingers against the cursed mark, channeling a pulse of chakra to probe its depths. Orochimaru's sinister presence coiled within, but beneath it, something else pulsed thick, primal, unmistakable.

'Senjutsu energy.'

Pulling back, Kiba rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. Orochimaru must have been watching Sasuke closely, likely through Kabuto or one of his other spies. The question now was how to counter it.

'I can't remove it yet, but I can slow its influence. If I restrict the mark, I might be able to shield his mind from its corruption.'

Without hesitation, Kiba bit his thumb and pressed it against the cursed seal. A glowing pattern spread across Sasuke's skin, weaving over Orochimaru's mark like a lock. The energy flared briefly before settling, its advance halted for now.

Kiba exhaled sharply, wiping his brow. The effort had drained him more than he expected. 'This will have to do until I can figure out how to turn this curse into strength.'

Sasuke's eyelids fluttered open, his vision blurry before sharpening on the sterile white ceiling above. He lay still for a few seconds, gathering his bearings, before turning his head to the side only to find Kiba watching him with that infuriatingly knowing grin.

A scowl twisted Sasuke's lips as memories rushed back that same smug expression right before Kiba had swept his legs out from under him. He turned his face away, jaw clenched.

"What happened?" Kiba leaned forward, his tone casual despite the tension between them.

"Ambush." Sasuke's voice came out rough, edged with barely contained fury. "They slaughtered my whole team even my Jonin sensei. That bastard was playing with me." His fist slammed into the mattress, the dull thud echoing his rage. "Next time I see him, I'll kill him."

His hand instinctively flew to his neck, fingers pressing against the skin where the pain had once burned. Now, there was nothing just an eerie numbness.

Kiba's voice dropped low, barely above a whisper. "I restricted the mark. We'll talk about it later. Just keep it to yourself for now."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, questions burning in his mind, but before he could demand answers, the door swung open. The Hokage stepped inside, flanked by two Jonin, their presence filling the room with quiet authority.

Kiba pushed himself to his feet, offering a respectful bow before slipping past them and out the door without another word.

. . . .

As Kiba's shift ended, he made his way to Sasuke's ward. The Uchiha sat motionless by the window, his dark eyes fixed on something beyond the glass. Only when the door clicked shut behind Kiba did Sasuke turn his head, the movement slow and deliberate.

Kiba settled into the chair beside the bed and produced a medium-sized scroll covered in dense kanji. With a pulse of chakra, the document activated, its characters glowing faintly before settling into legibility.

"Let's talk about that mark," Kiba began, his voice carefully neutral. "What do you want to know first?"

"Did that bastard give it to me just to play with me?" Sasuke's fingers twitched toward his neck, stopping just short of touching the cursed seal.

"Worse." Kiba unrolled the scroll further. "He wants to use you as a vessel."

The air in the room grew heavier as Sasuke's jaw clenched, his nails digging into his palms hard enough to leave crescent marks. Before the silence could stretch too long, Kiba continued.

"The mark grants access to Senjutsu—"

"Senjutsu?" Sasuke interrupted, his brow furrowing.

"Nature energy. It enhances physical abilities and can unlock new powers. The First Hokage mastered it." Kiba watched as surprise flickered across Sasuke's face before being replaced by focused attention. The Uchiha didn't question the information - after all their previous interactions, he'd learned to trust Kiba's knowledge.

"But normally," Kiba continued, "you'd need Kage-level chakra reserves and control to handle it safely. This mark bypasses those requirements, but at a cost. It will corrupt your mind until you're just an empty shell - perfect for the original owner to take over."

Sasuke's hand flew to his neck, fingers pressing against the cursed seal as if trying to crush it through sheer will. His eyes burned with fresh understanding. 'That snake-faced liar... He was counting on my desperation. Next time we meet, I'll cut that smirk off his face.'

"I can modify the mark," Kiba offered. "Remove the side effects while keeping the power boost. But I'll need time to study the seal properly."

"Do it." Sasuke's voice carried the weight of absolute conviction. "However long it takes."

"Remember this," Kiba stood, rolling the scroll shut. "I've suppressed it for now, but if you encounter him again, run. He can activate the mark remotely and take control."

"Understood." Sasuke gave a single sharp nod.

As Kiba reached the door, he paused. "Oh, and congratulations on awakening your Sharingan." The genuine warmth in his parting smile lingered in the air long after he'd left.

As he walked down the hallway, a new possibility flashed through Kiba's mind, a shortcut to power. 'If this works, I won't even need the Sacred Land. Sage Mode could be mine without the usual trials.'

The idea ignited a fierce excitement within him. If he could master this method, his fuinjutsu would unlock heights he'd never imagined. He'd grow stronger, faster, no limits in sight.

— — — — —

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