Naruto: Through A Dog's Eyes

"Again!" Hiashi's voice cut through the air, sharp as a kunai. I bit back a groan, muscles screaming as I pushed myself up from the ground. Across from me, Neji stood in the Gentle Fist stance, not a hair out of place. Show-off.

This was my life now. At the ripe old age of four and a quarter, I was in ninja boot camp. The Academy entrance exams were looming, and apparently, being a clan kid meant no pressure at all. Nope. None whatsoever.

I lunged at Neji, trying to use my enhanced speed to get inside his guard. For a second, I thought I had him. Then the world spun, and I was eating dirt again.

"Your form is improving, Kiba-kun," Hiashi said, his tone softer than usual. "But you're still telegraphing your moves."

I nodded, spitting out grass. "Yes, Hiashi-sensei."

This "cultural exchange" thing had turned into a full-blown training regimen. Three days a week, I was at the Hyūga compound, getting my butt handed to me by Neji while Hinata watched with a mix of concern and admiration. The other days? Oh, just your typical Inuzuka torture... I mean, training.

"Alright, that's enough taijutsu for today," Tsume called out. She'd been watching from the sidelines, a calculating look in her eyes. "Time for weapons practice."

I perked up at that. Finally, something I was good at. Well, better at, anyway.

We moved to the target range, where rows of bull's-eyes waited. Hana was there, setting up some nasty-looking contraptions.

"Pop-up targets," she explained with a grin that was way too cheerful for my liking. "Got to keep you on your toes, little brother."

Great. Because standing targets weren't challenging enough.

I took my stance, kunai in hand, trying to ignore the weight of expectation pressing down on me. Hiashi, Tsume, Hana, even little Hinata – all watching, evaluating. No pressure, right?

The first target sprang up. I threw, my enhanced senses guiding my aim. Thunk. Dead center.

"Good," Tsume nodded. "Now faster."

Targets began popping up in rapid succession. I fell into a rhythm, throwing, reaching for the next kunai, throwing again. My mind raced ahead, calculating angles, accounting for wind resistance. It was like a dance, brutal and beautiful.

When it was over, every target sported a kunai in its center. I allowed myself a small smile.

"Impressive," Hiashi murmured. "Your accuracy is exceptional, Kiba-kun."

I basked in the praise for all of two seconds before Tsume chimed in. "Now do it again, but this time with your eyes closed."

I stifled a sigh. Of course. Heaven forbid I get a moment to actually enjoy my progress.

As I prepared for another round, my mind wandered to the upcoming Academy entrance. How much should I show? I needed to be impressive enough to get in early, but not so extraordinary that I'd draw unwanted attention. It was a delicate balance, one that kept me up at night.

"Focus, Kiba," Tsume's voice snapped me back to the present. Right. Blind kunai throwing. Just another day in the life of a child soldier in training.

The days blurred together in a haze of training, studying, and more training. Taijutsu with the Hyūgas, ninken coordination with my clan, weapons with Hana, and ninjutsu... well, that was a whole other can of worms.

"Channel your chakra," Tsume instructed, demonstrating a simple clone jutsu. "Visualize your duplicate."

I nodded, forming the hand seals. Ram, Snake, Tiger. I felt the chakra surge through me, molding it carefully. With a poof of smoke, a perfect copy of me appeared.

Too perfect.

"Uh, I mean..." I quickly dispelled it, then tried again, this time producing a slightly wonky clone. "Like this?"

Tsume's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Better. Keep practicing."

It was exhausting, constantly holding back, pretending to struggle with things I'd mastered in secret months ago. But it was necessary. The last thing I needed was to end up in ANBU before I hit puberty.

Finally, the day of the Hokage meeting arrived. I stood outside his office, tugging nervously at my new jacket. Akamaru whined softly at my feet, picking up on my anxiety.

"It's okay, boy," I murmured, scratching behind his ears. "We've got this."

The door opened, and a voice called out, "The Hokage will see you now."

I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The office was smaller than I expected, cluttered with scrolls and books. And there, behind the desk, pipe in hand, sat Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The God of Shinobi. The Professor. The man who had seen more wars and trained more legends than anyone alive.

He smiled warmly at me, but I could feel the weight of his gaze. This was a man who could kill me with a thought, who held the fate of the entire village in his hands. And yet, he radiated a grandfatherly kindness that made me want to spill all my secrets.

"Kiba Inuzuka," he said, his voice gravelly but kind. "I've heard quite a lot about you."

I bowed, remembering my manners. "It's an honor to meet you, Hokage-sama."

We talked – well, he asked questions, and I tried not to sound like a reincarnated adult masquerading as a child prodigy. He asked about my training, my goals, why I wanted to enter the Academy early.

"I want to protect the village," I said, the words coming easier than I expected. "To be strong enough to keep my precious people safe."

Something flickered in Hiruzen's eyes – approval? Sadness? It was gone too quickly to tell.

"A noble goal," he said softly. "Very well, Kiba-kun. I believe you've earned your chance. Welcome to Konoha's Ninja Academy."

As I left the office, head spinning with a mix of relief and trepidation, I quite literally ran into my future.

"Oof!" I stumbled back, looking up to see a young man with a scar across his nose. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where-"

I froze. It was Iruka. But not the Iruka I remembered from the anime. This one was younger, his face unlined, the scar fresh and still pink.

"No harm done," he laughed, helping me up. "You must be Kiba. I'm Iruka Umino, one of the Academy instructors."

I shook his hand, my mind reeling. This was the man who would become like a father to Naruto, who would help shape the future of the ninja world. And he looked so... young. So unburdened.

"Nice to meet you, Iruka-sensei," I managed. "I look forward to learning from you."

As I walked home, Akamaru trotting beside me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just stepped over some invisible line. The Academy. The first real step towards changing the future. This was it.

I looked down at my hands – small, still chubby with baby fat, but already calloused from training. How long before they'd be stained with blood?

"What do you think, Akamaru?" I murmured. "Are we ready for this?"

He barked once, tail wagging. Of course we were. We had to be.