Chapter 1

In the forest outside of Konoha Village, Naruto was doing his private training; throwing multiple kunai and shuriken at one tree, trying to perfect his accuracy.  A majority struck the tree, but a few missed.  But that didn’t stop him.  Naruto just grabbed his weapons and tried again and again.  Three hours passed, and the young ninja put away his knives, leaving one kunai in his hand.  He picked the tallest tree in his personal training area, stood a few feet away from the tree as he held his hands together, with his first two fingers standing up, holding his head down.

Channel my chakra to my feet.

A small surge of energy rushed to Naruto’s feet and stayed there.  His eyes shot open and he headed for the tree.  He didn’t run, though.  Instead, he did a kind of fast walk and jog at the same time.  He got up at least fourteen feet, and as he began to descend, he swung his kunai across the tree, marking the spot where he left off.  He kicked off from the tree and landed in the same spot where he started.  He channeled his chakra to his feet again and charged at the tree, getting one foot past his previous mark.  He kept going and going until he reached the top, and he did, after the twenty-third try.

“‘Easy to do it at a fast walk,’ he says” said Naruto, panting and sweating while he sat on top of the tree, letting the wind cool him down.  “‘Just takes a few tries.’  Yeah, right.  My ass, it does.”

He opened his eyes and stared at the bright lights at his village, shining with the stars that hung so brightly in the sky.

“Oh, well, no use crying over it.  I least I did.”  He started giggling as he scratched the back of his head.

“You sure did.”  The sudden voice surprised Naruto so much that he jumped into air and almost fell from the tree, had he not quickly grabbed it with his arms and legs, hugging it like his life depended on it.

“Kakashi Sensei, why did you have to go and scare me to death like?!” Naruto shouted.  Kakashi was squatting down on a tree branch, looking as innocent as always when he was with his students.

“Because it’s fun to see your surprised face,” said Kakashi, smiling coyly under his mask.  “How else can I satisfy my sense of humor?”

“Very funny” Naruto grumbled, staring at Kakashi with his squinty eyes.

“Bye the way, didn’t I tell you not to train anymore today?”

“What’s wrong with a little extra training?”

“Last time you tried this exercise, you almost depleted all of you chakra and could’ve died.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t.”

“Naruto, I understand that you want to become a strong ninja, but there is a fine line between being bold and stupidity, and training out in the middle of the cold night, after already have a hard day’s training, borders a little bit passed that line.”  Naruto didn’t bother to answer back.  Checkmate.  “Come on, Naruto.  Let’s head back to the village and get some Ramen.  My treat.”

“Now you’re speaking my language.”

“But since you seem so into training, let’s test your speed.  We’ll start from this point.  If you can get to the Ramen shop before I do, I’ll buy you two bowls.”  Naruto gave Kakashi his coy, fox-like smile.

“You’re on, Kakashi.”

“Ready… set… go!”  As soon as Naruto heard the word go, he dropped straight down from the tree, landing safely on his feet, and ran right back to the village, leaving his stuff behind.  Above him, he could see Kakashi jumping from tree to tree, leaping over at least fifty yards.

“You won’t beat me at that pace, Naruto” Kakashi shouted.  “I guess you don’t want the prize that badly.”

“We’ll see about that” Naruto shouted back, then after one quick leap into the trees, Naruto began running and leaping on all fours, catching up to Kakashi.  When he was right under him, Naruto leapt right underneath, surprising him greatly.

“Whoa!” Kakashi shouted, as he flew back and landed on a tree.  Naruto looked over his head and waved at Kakashi.

“See ya at the Ramen shop” Naruto shouted to him.

“Likewise, Naruto.”  Then Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke.  Naruto was ahead, believing that he was winning.  He leapt from the edge of the forest, leaping at least a full hundred yards and landed on roof, and kept running until he reached the Ramen shop.  As he drew closer to the shop, Naruto made a victorious jump into the air and landed in front of the Ramen.

“All right, I won” Naruto shouted, throwing his fist into the air as he jumped with joy, after a well executed back-flip.  “Naruto: 1, Kakashi: 0.  Believe it!”

“I think you may want to recount your score, Naruto.”  Naruto’s cheer suddenly went dead and his body grew stiff, holding his position, as a grim look covered his face.  In a split second, Naruto ran passed the curtains of the shop and there, sitting at the bar, was Kakashi, reading another one of his Fantasy Island books.

“How the hell did you get here before me?” Naruto shouted, pointing his shaking finger at Kakashi.  “I saw stop as you passed me.”

“Keep your voice down, Naruto,” said Kakashi, paying no mind to his screaming voice, as he turned a page in his book.  “We’re in a public place.  Show some decorum.”

“But how did you get here before me?”  Naruto lowered his voice, but his finger refused to let down.

“Oh, that.  That was a shadow-clone you were racing against.”  His finger retracted, as did his arm, as his face suddenly went pale, realizing the truth, but then his face turned red.

“YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I WAS RACING ONE OF YOUR SHADOW CLONES?”

“Decorum, Naruto.  Decorum, and yes, it was my shadow clone.”

“Then you cheated.”

“No, not quite.  I made the shadow clone when I was at the lounge at HQ, and I was there by the time the bet was made.  It just took me a few minutes to get here, seeing how it’s only five blocks away.  For you, to get here from the forest, that would be running ten of those as fast as you could.  So, like I said, if you beat me, I’d buy you two bowls, but you didn’t beat me.”

“I didn’t know I was racing a shadow clone!!!  How is that fair?”

“I figured you could have tell that it wasn’t me?  Haven’t you learned how to do that yet?”  Naruto felt a chill up his back.

“I have.”  Kakashi looked over his right shoulder.

“I mean with other peoples clones, not just your own.  That really doesn’t count.”  

“Well, how am I supposed to tell from fake to real?”  Kakashi smiled under his mask again.

“We’ll go over that some other time.  For your effort, I’ll buy you a bowl and a quarter.  How’s that sound?”  His spirit was lifted again, as was his smile.  An hour later, Kakashi and Naruto exited the Ramen shop, while Naruto rubbed his stomach and licked the taste of pork and salmon ramen from his lips.

“That was good.  Thanks a lot, Kakashi sensei” said Naruto.

“Anytime” said Kakashi, taking his book out again.  Naruto couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Kakashi sensei, you mind if I ask you why you read those books?”

“Well, after training with Jiraiya, I figured you would understand, or haven’t you read any of his work.”

“No, all I ever seen him do is peak at the woman bathing the hot springs of the bath house and playing around near the waterfall.”

“Well, then.  It just so happens…”  Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled out another book.  “I have the first volume of his first series with me.”  Naruto gave a straight look, raising his left eyebrow.

“And you just happen to have it in your pocket?”

“Well, I’m almost done with this one and was going back to the beginning, but I suppose I could let you borrow it.”  Kakashi handed the book to Naruto.  He gave the cover the same look he gave to Kakashi, as he stared at a young man chasing after a woman wearing a blue bikini, with the title, “Fantasy Island,” writing in gold, decorative calligraphy.  His look returned to Kakashi.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Not one bit.  Just read the first few chapters.  If it still doesn’t capture your attention, you give it back.  If it does, and you like the first volume, I’ll see about lending you the second.  Try it out; you may like it.  Good-night, Naruto.”

“G’night.”  Kakashi walked one way while Naruto walked on home.  Then he suddenly stopped as a gasp of air shot into him.  “My stuff, I left them back in the forest.”

“Hey, kid” a man shouted.  Naruto turned around and saw that one of the waiters in the restaurant was holding a dark blue backpack with a red swirl on the flap.  “Isn’t this your backpack?”

“Sorry about that” Naruto shouted.  He ran back to the shop and got his backpack, throwing it over his shoulders.  “Thanks a lot.”

“Just be careful next time.”

“You got it.  Bye.”  Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Naruto ran home and didn’t stop until he got there.  As he walked into his apartment, he threw his backpack next to the door and walked into his kitchen.  As he reached in for a soda, Naruto looked at his pouch, staring at the outline made by the top corners of the book.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”  Naruto closed the door, changed into his pajamas, sat on his bed as he turned his bedside lamp on, and opened the book to the dedication page.

This series goes to all the beautiful woman who have been, and still are, and still are, my continuous inspiration with their unrivaled beauty and smiles.  May it last forever.

“I guess the pervy sage gives them more credit than I took him for,” said Naruto.  Even he does spy on them without them noticing.  Wonder how they would react if they knew the truth.  Let’s see, chapter 1.”

Naruto spent the first hour the first chapter, carefully reading the words, trying to understand some the phrases, but caught on pretty quick.  By the second hour, he had read the first three chapters, and by the time he yawned, he decided to put the book down.  Marking the page with a Ramen bookmark, he turned the light and set the book on his desk.

“Well, it’s as bad as I thought.”  His tone sounded like he was too proud to admit that he like it.  “I guess I could read more tomorrow.”  He let out another yawn and tucked himself in as he lowered his head on his soft pillow and went to sleep.





It was a quite night in the Okoki Village.  The sound of the crickets and frogs chirping filled the night air as the stars shined in the night sky.  At the village temple, squads of Anbu ninjas were stationed at every corner, hallway, and entrance and exit of the temple, their eyes focused like search light, through the eye-holes of their kitsune masks, with their swords and weapons at ready for whatever may come.  Bird-like whistles were silently sounded; a check-in signal.  Each Anbu responded to the whistle with an answer call-whistle, meaning, “All clear, here,” and carried it to the others until of them checked-in.

By the time it reached the last one, the Anbu didn’t respond.  The deliver tried again, but still no answer.

“I’m gonna see what’s wrong” he said, looking at his partner.

“Gotcha” said his partner, and the Anbu ran to the other’s post.  He saw the two Anbus sitting back to back, leaning against each other’s backs, while holding their swords in their arms.

“What the hell are you guys doing?” the Anbu shouted, but with a soft, quiet tone.  “This is no time for you two to be sleeping.”  There was no response.  The Anbu pulled his glove tighter on his right hand, balled it into a fist, and threw the back of it across the Anbu that was facing him.  “Wake up.”

After his strike, the two Anbu fell to their sides, not even flinching.  That’s when he realized that they were not asleep.  Both of them had a crescent shuriken stuck in their throats.

“What the hell?” he gasped.  Just as he was about to draw his sword and announce the murder, a crescent shuriken flew through the air and stuck itself in his throat.  The Anbu gasped as his hand went for his neck; his blood pouring out as he gagged, falling dead to the floor.  His partner noticed his fall and drew his sword as he got up.  He whistled the check-in signal, but there was no reply.  When he tried it a second time, a dart was shot at his neck.  He pulled it out and stared at the then piece of metal with a red, silk tail.

“What the…?”  Suddenly, he felt a sort of pressure around his neck, as if something was choking him from the inside.  He held onto his neck as his gasped for air, trying to breath.  He couldn’t answer for help nor stand on his feet.  He kept gasping for air until he fell dead.  The rest of the Anbu died in similar ways: a shuriken to the throat, a dart to the neck, and others were cut down with twin blades.

Three ninjas were still standing together, looking down at the fallen Anbu.

“They’re making this far too easy,” said one of the ninja, stroking his thumb across a side of his crescent shuriken, as he let out a quiet, yet sinister chuckle.

“Perhaps the Anbu are not trained as they used to be,” said the second ninja, holding his swords in his hands.  “They have grown weak and careless.”

“Pity, though” said the third ninja, gentle and feminine.  “I’m willing to bet that some of them were quiet handsome.  Now they are food for the crows.”

“Well done, my friends.”  A fourth ninja appeared, on the corner of the room, just above them.  The three looked up at him, after they received his complement.  “You work still shows more effort than before.  Now we only need to collect our bounty.”

“Shall we come with you?” asked the female ninja.

“No” said the fourth, taking in a deep breath of the night air.  “I think it’s time that I had some fun of my own.  This may take a while.”

“We will wait for you,” said the first ninja.

“Thank you” said the fourth and he jumped to the front stairs of the temple, and walked up to the entrance, with his arms held behind his back, walking as if he had all the time in the world.  He opened the tall double doors and walked into the main chamber, but not before taking off his shoes and setting them neatly by the front door.  He walked into the dim chamber, lit by a few torches, one on each beam.  At the end of the chamber was a tall stone statue of a monk, holding a staff in his right hand.  Sitting on his legs before that statue, his hands in prayer, was an old monk, wearing robes identical to the statue.

“I see you have finally come,” said the monk, sensing the ninja entering the chamber.  He spoke with a calm tone, fearing nothing.  “I knew you would.  The others have warned me of your arrival.”

“No doubt, monk” said the ninja.  “I know your telepathic link to each other.  It exists even one of you is dead, or three of you as it would be now.”  The ninja stood in his place and the monk stood up on his feet.  He turned around and stared at the ninja with his old, tired eyes.

“Why do you seek the relics of the five?” the monk asked.

“Strange how you are the first one to ask me that” the ninja chuckled.  “The same reason for why all man do such distasteful things: power.  And I will claim the power that is rightfully mine, that destiny has given me.”

“It is not your power to take, and I will stop you from fulfilling your ‘destiny’.”

“Oh, I hope you do.  I told my friends that I would have some fun.  I hope that you will not disappoint them, or me.”

Then monk reached inside his robe and pulled out a slip of white paper with a symbol painted on the face of it.

“Binding seal” the monk shouted, throwing the seal at the ninja.  The seal shot a strong bolt of lightning at the ninja, while just stood there, not even flinching.  It encaged him with multiple strands of lightning, surround his entire body, preventing him from moving.

“Pitiful” said the ninja.  “The last three did the same thing, and it has gotten terribly boring.”  The ninja took in a deep breath and let out a powerful grunt that caused the seal’s power to cancel out, freeing him from his lightning cage.  The seal was then deflected out of the monk’s hand.

“Impossible” said the monk.

“I guess your friends didn’t tell you about my abilities, did they?  How rude of them.  Care for another try?”  The monk reached in his robe again, and pulled out two seals, holding in front of the other.

“Fire seal and wind seal, combine” the monk shouted.  “Fire typhoon seal!”  The two seals glowed as one and released a powerful shot of wind at the ninja, carrying a great blaze of fire.  The ninja jumped from the blast’s trajectory, but the monk managed to have it follow him.  As the ninja landed, he lunged directly at him.  He swung the back of his left hell at the monk’s jaw, following his right foot, and his left heel again.  The monk’s seals stopped their attack as he fell to the floor, hard on his back.

The monk groaned as his back arched from the floor, and the ninja clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“Don’t tell me you’re done, monk,” said the ninja.  “This was just getting interesting.”  The monk took in a deep breath, placed his hands over his head and jumped to his feet.  “That’s better.”

The monk charged at the ninja, throwing his fists and feet at him, trying to strike him, while the ninja just dodged his blows with swift, clean movements, as if he was anticipating all of his moves.  Then, as the monk threw his right fist at the ninja’s fist, the ninja grabbed his wrist with his right hand pulling his arm out and delivered a sound blow to a spot under his arm, between the elbow and the armpit.  The monk let a sharp grunt as he felt his body go almost numb, stumbling away from the ninja when his wrist was released.  He felt weak and faint at the same time, wondering what was done to him.

“Come now, monk.  Just a little bit longer.”  The monk regained his footing, shook the dizziness from his eyes and pulled another seal from his robes.

“Earth seal.”  The monk pressed his fist together, with the seal in between as it glowed, then his fist turned to stone.

“That’s new,” said the ninja.  He kept his right hand behind his back while his left in front of him, open-palmed.  Then the monk charged at the ninja again, pulling his left fist back.  Drawing near, the monk threw his fist at the ninja, but he pushed it aside with ease, the same with the right as it flew to his cheek.  With each punch the monk threw, the ninja evaded and blocked each one, toying with him, but the monk kept his anger at bay.

After the ninja blocked the monk’s right uppercut, he threw his left knee to his stomach, knocking the air out of him; another knee to his chin and a straight kick his chest, throwing him to the statue.  The monk coughed drops of blood as he struggled to regain his breath, what with his body feeling tired.  The ninja chuckled as he walked up to his fallen foe and kneeled in front of him.

“You fought very well, for an old man,” said the ninja.

“Know this: your ambition will be your downfall” the monk coughed, looking hard into his eyes.  Then the ninja grabbed hold of the monk’s throat, squeezing it in his hand.

“It may have been for others, but it will not be the same for me” said the ninja, his tone deep and angry.  “It is my destiny, and it will ascend me to greatness.”  The ninja released the monk’s throat and then delivered a hard punch to the center of his chest, but a little bit lower from the previous one.  With that blow, the monk took in a deep gasp, but then it escaped his throat as he fell to his side dead; his blood pouring out of his mouth.

The ninja stood back on his feet and kicked the monk’s body aside and stood in front of the statue, looking at its eyes.

“Time to collect the bounty” said the ninja.  He faced his left shoulder to the statue, widening his stance as he removed his right hand from his back.  His left hand was placed on the statue, marking the spot where his right fist would strike, when released.  He took in a deep breath through his nose and released it from his mouth.  After the second inhale, his right fist was released, as his left hand pulled away, and struck the statue, making it tremble upon impact.  By the time it stopped, the statue cracked and shattered like glass.

The fragments shattered as they struck the ground and the ninja stood in front of what was left of the base.  Within the statue was a long stone case.  The ninja kicked the top off the case, shattering as it struck the wall.  Inside was a long, wooden staff, with a gold headdress: A gold ring with a sapphire sphere held in the middle, with six rings hanging on the bottom of the headdress, three on each side.

“At last” said the ninja, taking the staff from its resting place, admiring its beauty.  “Now, only one more relic to find and the power shall be mine.”  The ninja walked towards the exit and slipped on his shoes.  His friends were outside, waiting for him, as they said they would.

“Did you have fun?” asked the female.

“Yes, my dear, I did,” said the ninja, stopping in front of her and holding her chin as he looked into her eyes.  “And I have our bounty.”

“Just one more to go then?” asked the second ninja.

“Yes, and I know just where it is.  But we will have to lay low for a while to figure out its exact location.”

“So where to?” asked the first ninja.

“Don’t be so eager,” said the ninja.  “Let us first celebrate our victory, revel… in its bliss.  Then we will go.”

“All right” said the first ninja.  Just as they left, the bodies of the Anbu were neatly lined up, shoulder to shoulder, they’re hands placed on their chest, while the monk hung in front of the door.  With his robes ripped open, a strange symbol that seemed to represent a cat’s head, engulfed in flame, was carved deeply into his chest.  A calling card, as some may call it.  They wanted the village to know that they were there, and to warn them of what was to come.