Chaos in the Another World: The Oddball's Reign

Chapter 5: The First Crack in the Timeline

From the shadows, I watched the aftershocks of my handiwork ripple through the Academy. In this game, my pawns—no, my classmates—moved predictably, oblivious to my invisible hand pulling the strings. The tournament was the spark, and now the fire was spreading. The beauty of chaos was in how easy it was to ignite, how unpredictably it spread, especially when people didn't know they were playing by someone else's rules.

Step One: Push the Tension

It started in the training yard. The usual banter between friends now crackled with friction, a direct result of the cracks I'd created in their trust. Sakura was the first. She was quieter than usual, her frustration still simmering beneath her usually cheerful exterior. I made sure to bump into her by "accident."

"Oh, Sakura!" I exclaimed, feigning concern as her textbooks scattered on the ground. "You seem... off today. You're not still hung up about losing to Hinata, are you?"

Sakura's jaw tightened. Perfect. She knelt to gather her books, but I crouched next to her, keeping my voice just loud enough for a few passing students to overhear.

"You know, I thought your fight was odd. Hinata... I don't think she was fighting like herself. Maybe someone helped her?" I whispered, raising an eyebrow conspiratorially.

Her hand froze. I could see the thoughts ticking behind her eyes. Doubt. Suspicion. The seed was planted.

"Sakura," I leaned in closer, "you're strong. Too strong to lose like that."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she finally nodded before standing up. "Thanks... I'll keep that in mind."

I smiled sweetly as she walked off, her footsteps faster than before, frustration bubbling over. The crack between her and Hinata was widening. Step one: complete.

Step Two: Kiba's Breaking Point

Next up, Kiba. Kiba was easy to manipulate—his pride made him predictable. After losing to Naruto in front of everyone, his confidence was fragile, teetering on the edge of a breakdown. The right push, and he'd fall.

I found him sparring with Shino again, his movements erratic, wild—desperate to prove himself. As he charged toward Shino, I reached out with my chakra, just a subtle touch, and made him feel slower, heavier. In his mind, something was wrong with him, not the world around him.

"Kiba, focus," Shino said, dodging effortlessly.

Kiba roared in frustration, pushing himself harder, but he kept missing, his strikes clumsy. I walked by, just close enough for him to catch my voice.

"Wow, Kiba. What happened? You were faster before..." I said innocently, loud enough for him to hear.

His head snapped in my direction, eyes narrowing, sweat dripping from his brow. "Shut up, Aika! You don't know anything about my skills!"

I feigned a flinch. "Geez, touchy. Just saying, Naruto's looking really strong these days. Everyone's saying it."

The vein in Kiba's forehead throbbed. I could feel his anger brewing—a delicious mixture of self-doubt and fury. The next moment, Kiba went wild, launching himself at Shino with such reckless force that he stumbled, giving Shino an easy opening to knock him down.

"That's enough," Shino said, but Kiba just growled, scrambling to his feet.

Before he could charge again, I called out. "It's not your fault, Kiba. Sometimes people just hit their limit."