INFERNO:

Chapter 1

"Through me the way into the suffering city,
Through me the way to the eternal pain,
Through me the way that runs among the lost."

-Dante's "Inferno"

The only thing she wanted was to be strong. To show the world her true strength that was aflame inside her was a lifelong dream. Making that certain boy acknowledge her and love her was one of her life's goals.

Little did she know, there was a way to obtain these things and make her dreams come true. The only thing she had to do was give her body to the devil.

Hinata gasped and sank to the ground next to her open bag of kunai, sweat running down her pale face and onto her bare neck. She had been practicing long after Shino and Kiba had gone home, but that was what she always did. Her team was never shy about telling her that she needed to become stronger, and she was going to show them that she could do just that.

Hinata took several deep breaths and slipped off her jacket, leaving her in only a black tank top and pants. She tried to lift herself off the ground, but her shaking arms wouldn't allow it. With a yelp she plopped back down in the dirt on her back.

'I…I can't quit now," she said between hard breaths. "I still have another hour left to go.'

Once again Hinata attempted to stand up, but to no avail. Her tired body was perfectly content on the ground. She groaned and shut her eyes tightly.

'I…I have to make Naruto-kun like me back.'

With that thought racing through her mind, she stood up quickly off the ground with new determination. She reached into her bag and pulled out a single kunai.

'Just one more hour…one more hour…'

In a tree approximately ten meters away, a lone figure was perched up on a branch high above the ground, watching the girl train intently. The way she groaned in pain and exhaust, the sweat running down her gorgeously pale face, the sloppy way she threw her kunai…he loved all of it. So what if he was a bit of a stalker? He had been watching this girl for her entire life.

Itachi shifted slightly to get a better view of the girl. She was beautiful, with noble blood flowing through her veins and a huge amount of determination and perseverance. She was different…she was angelic.

He smirked as Hinata screamed in frustration and sat down on the ground, hard, with her legs crossed. 'Looks like Hinata-sama is having some difficulties.'

Though Itachi had been watching Hinata for quite some time, she never seemed to have matured emotionally or skill wise. She often got frustrated and her younger sister was a better ninja than her. But physically…she had the body of a healthy, well brought-up woman.

Goddamn, he wanted her body…and her soul.

Hinata pulled at her hair. "Why isn't this working! I've been at this forever!"

"Because you haven't met me yet," Itachi said loudly.

Hinata jumped and turned around, facing the tree Itachi was in. "Wh-what?"

Itachi hopped down gracefully and started walking towards Hinata. "There are some things wrong with your technique, Hinata-sama."

Hinata backed away. "Wh-how…how do you know my name?" Itachi was please to see that she was trembling.

The young man stopped two feet in front of the shivering girl and bent down. "You will never get strong this way."

Hinata frowned. "How do you know? I just need more practice-"

"You've been doing this same exercise for two years, and you're still no good at it."

Hinata looked as though she had been slapped across the face, but the expression was immediately replaced by a look of disgust. "You…you've been stalking me, haven't you?"

Itachi shrugged. "I like to call it 'watching over' you."

Hinata's bottom lip quivered. "Who are you?" She reached for her kunai.

Itachi stretched his arm and slapped her hand away from the bag of weapons. "I'm the only way you can get strong."

Hinata gritted her teeth. "How? Tell me how!"

Itachi smiled and stroked her left arm, causing the girl to flush. "I'll only tell you…if you give me something in exchange."

Hinata gulped. "I'll…I'll give you anything," she whispered. "I'll do anything to get stronger."

Itachi stood up. "You need to give me your body."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Wait…what?"

"You heard me." Itachi began walking away. "Give yourself to me and you will become stronger." He looked over his shoulder. "I'll be back to pick you up right here tomorrow night, because I know you can't refuse my offer."

He jumped up and disappeared through the trees. Hinata stared after him before quickly standing up and rubbing the place where Itachi had touched her.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," she growled. "I don't need him."


The village was alight by the rays of the cornflower moon. The night wind howled through the tress, causing the leaves to shudder and dance on the branches. Itachi felt excitement well up inside up as he brushed his midnight black hair out of his eyes. Twenty-four hours from now, the devil would finally have his angel.

"And it's about time to clip the wings off that little angel."