Kiba (Naruto)

On the way to Konoha Hospital,

Kiba's mind raced, frustration gnawing at him. His limited knowledge of Fuinjutsu offered no clear solution, leaving him with no choice but to test every possible method no matter how time-consuming.

Just as he quickened his pace, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Kiba!"

He halted, turning to find two girls his age blocking his path, Haruno Sakura, her pink hair framing a determined expression, and Yamanaka Ino, the ashy-blonde heiress of her clan, watching him with keen interest.

Suppressing another sigh, Kiba braced himself. He already knew where this conversation was headed.

"Why do you always act like talking to us is such a chore?" Sakura demanded, irritation sharpening her tone.

"Maybe because the only time you two bother with me is when you want intel on Sasuke," Kiba shot back.

The girls flinched, caught off guard by his bluntness.

Ino recovered first, flipping her hair with practiced ease. "We saw Sasuke leaving the hospital yesterday. Is he okay?"

"Physically? Yeah, he's fine." Kiba shrugged.

"But what about his mental state?" Sakura pressed, worry creeping into her voice.

Kiba's jaw tightened. "What do you think? He's the last Uchiha left, and his whole team was wiped out. So yeah, he's not exactly in great shape."

Ino's breath hitched. 'His whole team… gone?'

Silence stretched between them, heavy with the weight of the revelation. After a moment, Kiba exhaled sharply. "Look, if that's all, I've got things to do."

Sakura hesitated before shaking her head. "No… thanks for telling us."

Without another word, Kiba turned on his heel and strode toward the hospital, leaving the two girls to process what they'd just heard.

. . . .

"Ready to be part of your first surgery?" Gou gave his shoulder a firm pat.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kiba snapped, irritation flashing in his voice before he caught himself.

Gou blinked, taken aback by the sharp response.

Kiba exhaled, forcing his tone to soften. "Sorry, Gou-san. I've been stressed lately. If I act like that again, just call me out on it."

Gou chuckled, his usual easygoing demeanor returning. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

They suited up in full surgical gear sterile gloves, masks, and gowns ensuring no contamination risk to the patient.

As a beginner, Kiba's role was simple: monitor the machines tracking the patient's vitals. But simplicity didn't make it easy.

The moment the incision began, blood welled up, vivid and unsettling. Kiba's grip tightened on the edge of the monitor. When he glanced back at the operating table, the sight of exposed organs sent a wave of nausea crashing over him.

His stomach lurched, but he gritted his teeth. 'Push through. You'll see worse than this.'

Somehow, he lasted until the final suture. The moment the lead surgeon stepped back, Kiba released a slow, shaky breath.

Gou noticed his tension and leaned in. "Still feeling okay after all that?"

"I'll manage," Kiba muttered, swallowing hard. "Just need time to adjust."

"Don't sweat it. Plenty of medics puke their first time." Gou grinned, clapping him on the back. "You held up better than most."

Kiba gave a stiff nod. "Yeah. Thanks."

Kiba stepped into the general ward, his gaze sweeping across the room, though his thoughts remained tangled around the mystery of the cursed mark.

'If only an experienced Uzumaki were still alive, I could've learned from them.' The weight of the problem pressed on him, frustration simmering beneath the surface. 'This would've been so much easier. Wait… could I resurrect one of them and force them to teach me? But where would I even find their DNA?'

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if to dispel the thought.

Just then, the hospital doors swung open, revealing Naruto, covered in dirt and grime from head to toe. The moment he entered, the room's atmosphere shifted disgust twisted the faces of those nearby, their disdain for the boy palpable.

Suppressing another sigh, Kiba strode forward. "Do you need assistance?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral.

Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "My sensei sent me to get checked for injuries."

"Follow me," Kiba instructed, turning on his heel and leading the way to an examination room.

As they walked, Naruto's smile wavered slightly, his shoulders tensing under the weight of the hostile glares directed at him.

Once inside the room, Kiba gestured toward the examination table. "Remove your jacket and sit down."

Naruto complied, shrugging off the dirt-streaked garment before settling onto the table.

"Give me your hand," Kiba ordered, extending his own.

Naruto placed his palm in Kiba's grip without hesitation. The moment their hands connected, Kiba activated his seismic sense, searching for any hidden injuries. At first, nothing seemed amiss until his vision plunged into darkness, then snapped into focus within an entirely different space.

Before him loomed an enormous steel gate, its surface etched with intricate sealing formulas. Cold water lapped at his ankles, sending a shiver up his spine. His expression flattened into a deadpan stare.

'Kurama must have dragged me here. Fantastic.' Another sigh escaped him. 'I've been sighing all damn day.' And, as if to prove the point, he exhaled heavily once more.

"Lost little dog?" A rumbling growl echoed from the darkness of the cage, the voice thick with menace.

Kiba's nose wrinkled in disgust as a foul odor hit him. "Did you fucking piss in here? Shit, that's disgusting!"

"What did you just say, you little brat?!"

A massive, shadowed form shifted behind the seal, and a single blood-red eye locked onto Kiba, glowing with barely restrained fury. The air itself seemed to tremble as the beast's anger radiated outward, its claws raking against the bars with a screech that set teeth on edge.

"You pissed me off!" Kiba snarled, refusing to back down. "I'm just here to check on Naruto, and you drag me into this shithole. Think this is funny, you overgrown rat?"

A deafening roar erupted from the cage, the force of it sending a violent gust tearing through the space. Kiba's feet remained planted, his legs locked in place, but he squeezed his eyes shut, enduring the onslaught.

"I'll tear you apart, you insolent whelp!" Kurama's voice was a thunderous promise of violence.

Kiba barked out a laugh, wiping his face with his sleeve. "Hah! Big talk for a glorified prisoner. You're stuck in there, Kurama. Can't do shit to me."

The moment the name left his lips, the air went still. Kurama's growl tapered into stunned silence before rising again, sharper this time. "How do you know that name?"

"Does it matter?" Kiba shot back, exhaustion and frustration stripping away any caution. "Just send me back already, you oversized rodent."

Kurama's roar shattered the space around them, a primal force of rage that made Kiba clamp his hands over his ears and screw his eyes shut. When the noise finally faded, he blinked and found himself staring at Naruto's concerned face.

"Kiba…" Naruto's hand rested on his shoulder, his voice hesitant. "You okay?"

Kiba exhaled sharply, shaking off the lingering tension. "I'm fine. And you're healthy but lay off the expired ramen. That crap'll kill you faster than any enemy."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

"Then get outta here," Kiba muttered, waving him off.

Naruto hesitated. "Do I… owe you anything?"

"Just go," Kiba grumbled, not in the mood for gratitude.

With a bright grin, Naruto shrugged on his jacket. "Thanks, man!"

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Kiba slumped back, tilting his head up at the ceiling with a long, weary sigh.

'This is such shit. I wish time would just hurry the hell up.'

— — — — —

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