Shiba (Kusagakure)

was a Chūnin from Kusagakure.

Chūnin Exam Arc
He and Midori were the personal guards of the Grass Daimyo during the Chūnin Exams. They were assigned to make sure Gaara lost to Sasuke Uchiha, making their daimyo win a bet with another daimyo. When they threatened Gaara to lose, they greatly offended the young jinchūriki, who then proceeded to brutally crush Tsuba to death, and then Midori, who tried to flee in terror, died shortly after. Their gruesome deaths quenched Gaara's blood-lust, which saved Naruto Uzumaki and Shikamaru Nara from the same fate.

Trivia

 * means "spit" or "saliva". It can also refer to the guard mounting (鍔 or 鐔) on a katana.
 * Tsuba's forehead protector symbol changed to the sand symbol right before he died.