Author: Heart of Sword

E-mail: heartofsword@boardermail.com

Title: Talented, Indeed

Fandom: Naruto

Rating: PG-13

Warning(s): Eventual KakaIru, blood, swearing, a hysterical Kakashi in later chapters.

Summery: There has always been the 5 Kages, and they are the ultimate commanders of the ninja. But there has always been one Hunter—the one who commands the Kages. Now, his talents are the most needed....

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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Shuriken 0: The History of the Hunter

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An excerpt from the Book of Shadows--

After the ninja villages had been established, the 5 Kages wondered how to assail their evil foe, Shigeto.

Shigeto has been the shinobis' greatest enemy, for he has long been a master of the secret arts, and is much feared. He is egomaniacal to the worst extreme, and is very insane.

There was a prophecy however, one that works in the shinobis' favor. In this prophecy, it is believed that a Hunter shall finally defeat him.

And so the Kages trained their ninjas as hunters as the prophecy said they should, for the prophecy had never been wrong, and they were determined to defeat the hated fiend.

It came to pass that three years to the day that the villages had been built, that the Kages deemed themselves ready. They had many hunters, trained by the Kages themselves. How could they not lose?

But the prophecy ordained that there could only be one Hunter to face the cruel Shigeto, and that the hunters that the Kages amassed did not have the fatal Hunter.

However, the prophecy continued, they did have the Hunter that would temporarily defeat Shigeto. This Hunter was the one that would give Destiny time to summon the soul of the True Hunter, as well as his companions, like the Scarred Wolf, and the Demon With Two Lives, and the Cursed Protector, and the Empress Of Time.

The Kages consulted with each other, and they admitted that the ones of Destiny were not born, and that all they could do was select the First Hunter. So, they held a tournament, and in all the confusion they did not notice that a boy of no more then twelve had enlisted.

This boy had soft blonde hair, along with brown eyes, and a scar on his cheek.

It came to pass in that tournament that the boy won all of his battles, whether they were against those weaker then he or against those stronger then he, for he was the one Destined to fight Shigeto, and give the Destiny the chance it needed.

For along with that Destiny came awareness, and it had a counterpart, one that wished to plunge the Universe in Darkness.

The boy served the Destiny Of Light, and it ensured his victory.

Finally the boy felled his last adversary, and he stepped before the wise Kages, and awaited their judgment.

The Kages were unsure of what to do. The Light Destiny had assured them that the First Hunter would win this tournament, but a child?

They deliberated until finally, Kazekage stepped forth, and said, "Why do we waste time? The Hunter has been brought to us. Let him go to Shigeto, and may he defeat him!"

The Kages saw the wisdom of this and they agreed.

The boy belonged to the Fire Country, and so it was Hokage that told him of his Destiny. The boy's face was grave as he listened, and he said, "Fear not Lord Hokage; I shall not let your faith go to waste."

Then he smiled at the Hokage and the Hokage gave him his blessing.

The child traveled far from the village, to the Land of Waves, and it was there that he and Shigeto were Destined to battle.

When he first saw him, Shigeto laughed. This warrior that had so haunted his dreams was only twelve! Much too weak to be a threat to the great Shigeto!

But he then perceived the power infused in the child, and once again he was afraid. For the Hunter had haunted his dreams, and had held Shigeto long in terror.

And so it came to pass, that the child and Shigeto fought. There shall only be one other such battle, and that is between the Shigeto and Final Hunter. But this battle was the one that mattered, and so it was that their chakras waxed and waned, and their jutsus clashed.

Finally, they came to the end of the battle. It was a blow of pure panic from the boy that won it all, for no matter how powerful he was he was still a little a boy, and therefore unprepared for Death.

It was simply a punch, one that landed in Shigeto's stomach. The renegade felt it but barely. After all, this was an obviously desperate blow. Why should it work?

But it distracted Shigeto, and the little boy that was twelve years old, took advantage of that moment's hesitation—and drove his kunai into Shigeto's eye.

Shigeto was beaten.

The renegade shinobi howled an unearthly howl of pain and fury. And the little boy extracted his shinobi blade, and the eye of Shigeto came with it. He left Shigeto writhing on the floor. All of the boy's tasks were finished but one and that was to train his successor.

He came back to the Village Hidden In The Mist, for that is were the tournament is held, and he gave the eye and kunai to the Hokage saying, "It is done."

And so it was.

The boy knew though, that his Destiny was not complete. There was still the matter of his successor, for the Hunters must never die out.

And so, acting on instructions given to him by the Destiny Of Light, he informed the Kages of the laws that bound them concerning the succession of the Hunters.

And the Kages agreed to these laws, and only they know them. Each Kage must know them as well as the current Hunter. But only they may know these, and to record them in all but memory is forbidden under pain of death.

It came to pass the Hunter married and had a son. And he looked at him and he knew that the child would be his successor. But he also knew that this would be the only time that another Hunter would be born of his line. And he warned the Kages that his death would soon come, and that the Kages must band together, and train his son, the same way they had trained his comrades, and indeed that his comrades must help in his son's training as well, so that he could become more powerful and skilled then his father.

The Second Hunter still had many harsh tasks before him.

And it came to pass that a missing nin, killed Shishio Tokamoru, the First Hunter.   

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Umino Iruka set the book down, and frowned. That was not what he had wanted to read.