Pre-story notes:

This story is rated T for awesome butt-kicking ninja action, some uncontrolled tempers and a touch of pervyness.

This story is a Naruto story; told long after the event of Naruto and the nine-tailed demon. (Like hundreds of years after.)

Pronunciation of the names are below the story.

I don't own Naruto (Duh!)

If you don't like Naruto don't read my story (Another Duh.)

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

9:00 PM! Race to the finish!

Due to the untimely manner in which I had gotten lost, we where forced to take up camp later that night (Even though I wanted to keep going.) The other two made me promise not to make them up the next morning, something about that they needed 'sleep' or something of the sort. I fell asleep quickly and didn't wake until early the next morning (Later than yesterday but earlier than most people wake up I guess…)

"Mmm… Yawn!" Miku yawned out as she awoke from her nights sleep. "Good morning Miku Arf!" I greeted her patiently. "Morning…" She grogged as she stood up. "Here's breakfast again!" I said, handing her a fresh hot plate of ham and hash browns. "Wow," Miku said in a sort of amazed way, "it's kind of nice having you around in the morning when you aren't annoying. Where's Ryo?" She asked as she started on her plate. "Oh, he woke up about an hour ago and went off to practice. I wanted to go with him but he said that he never lets anybody see his best techniques." I pouted as I sat down and tried to enjoy the cool morning air (It's harder than it looks! I really wanted to go play around but I also wanted to leave soon.)

"So Daichi," Miku said once she finished her plate, "where are you originally from?" She asked calmly. "I mean, you just moved into the village less than a month ago," She continued to explain her question, "and you sleep in the Raikage's building too." She stated in a not so sure way. "Well," I answered, remembering what had happened almost a month ago. "For a long time, I lived with my master, Master Yoshiro. He was a world renowned ninja and Master Yoshiro and I traveled together, learning new jutsu and taking care of each other." I paused for a moment as I selected my words carefully; Miku was on the edge of her seat waiting for what had happened. "We where in the forest, looking for a high class ninja criminal that had escaped the Cloud village, and we where attacked."

I withdrew my memories from my head like someone would pick up a cactus, very carefully. "It was a group of 5 expert ninja, they had seen us coming and worked for the S class ninja we where looking for." Miku held her breath as I slowly recalled the fight. "My master talked calmly to them, trying to reason with them. But, one of the ninja attacked him without much warning. Master Yoshiro drew his sword so quickly that not even the rays of the sun would have escaped from his attack. The first ninja went down quickly, but the second and third both attacked at the same time, they both took out there weapons, one had a sword, the other took out an axe."

"I went to attack the ninja but I was stuck in place, I couldn't move at all. Master Yoshiro made some handsigns and blew away both of the attacking ninja and two shuriken that the last two had throw without me even noticing with a wind style jutsu. The fourth and fifth ninjas both threw shuriken again then started making handsigns. Master Yoshiro dodged them both with a jump and came down on the fourth ninja, but the fifth landed a fireball jutsu on him, Master Yoshiro was gravely injured."

"Master Yoshiro threw his sword at the last ninja and killed him, but as he did so another ninja jumped out from the shadows behind me. I could move now and yelled out to my master, "Master Yoshiro! Watch out Arf!" I yelled out, but it was too late. The ninja had struck Master Yoshiro through his gut with his sword; the blood ran out across the blade in a deadly crimson glow. "That's impossible!" Master Yoshiro said as the ninja took off his hood. The ninja then looked back at me; it was the same man as yesterday, Katak. He took something from my master's bag and left swiftly. I knew I couldn't catch him and stayed with my master."

"I walked up to my master as I cried. To my surprise he spoke "Daichi," he spoke softly, "Come here." I spent the next five minutes alone with him before he died. Then, just before he was about to die, he spoke again. "I wish for you to go to the Cloud village. There is a map in my bag, I want you to go there, become a great ninja!" He said proudly as he slowly slipped away. "Master Yoshiro!" I cried out to no avail. "No! Master Yoshiro, you must… stay… with me Arf!" I yelled while crying out loud. In that moment I lost my master, and gained a new role in life, I was to become the best ninja who has ever lived!"

"Oh!" Miku cried out, "Poor Daichi! I never knew you had been through suc…" "So," Ryo interrupted, he had been listening to me for quite a while. "The man you saw yesterday was the same man who killed your master, right?" "Yea," I said, sad from having to remember what had happened. "Well," Miku said, trying to change the subject. "We should get going now if we want to walk at this pace and be home by tomorrow morning." It suddenly hit me; like a sumo wrestler jumping on top of me from a five story building. "Guys!" I exclaimed, "I just remembered something important Arf!"

I told them everything I had remembered from Ontai's plan yesterday. "So, let me get this right," Miku said in a half angry way, "you 'forgot' that a whole bunch of high class criminals are going to attack the Raikage's building tonight?!" She was angry that I had forgotten about it, but Ryo was just happy to know that we now knew about the plan. "Alright then you two," Ryo said, taking command quickly. "There is only one good way to go about this." "Yea?" I said, semi-amazed that Ryo already had a plan of action. "Daichi," Ryo said quickly, "go back to the village as quick as you can and tell the Raikage. Me and you," He said pointing to Miku, "will stay here and lay traps for them to slow them down."

"Why me? Why do I have to…" I asked, wanting a taste of action. "Because, not only do you have little knowledge of traps," Ryo answered swiftly. "But also because you are the fastest among us, if there is any chance of telling the Raikage before they arrive, you are our best bet. Now go!" He said pointing me in the right direction. I ran, I ran as fast as I could, knowing that a lot of bad things would happen if I didn't reach the Raikage's office in time. I started to run on all fours, knowing it would be the only way to reach there before they did. The ground beneath me was not a hindrance, even though there were thorns and thistles along the rocky mountain trail, they couldn't detour me from my route.

"Hey guys," I heard Ontai's voice up ahead and stopped. "Wasn't leaving early better than rushing through these mountains?" "Yea, it sure was." I heard another man say. I followed them from behind; there were about 20 of them, way more than I could handle alone. "I have to find a different route than the one they are on…" I said; making sure they couldn't hear me. I took out the large general map to find a better route. "There it is," I said silently to myself, "It's a cave that leads to the other side of the mountains. If I can cut across there I will make it in no time."

I went to where the entrance was supposed to be, but I couldn't find it. "Dangit, where is that cave?" I asked myself as I searched around. It took me a little while to figure out that the cave had been sealed off with a rock, and the rock has a sealing tag on it. But the sealing tag was broke; other people had been coming through there even after the tag was in place. The rock was covering of the cave almost most of the way, but I could squeeze through without too much trouble. "Well, here I go Arf!" I said to myself as I got ready to enter the cavern.

I slowly walked into the cave. The air was stale and I could tell nobody had been in here for quite a while. "Not many people must know about this cave." I said quietly, the words echoed off the walls. I slowly walked forward, having no light jutsu or even fire jutsu I had to just use the little bit of light that was there. Clank my foot hit something hard and metal, it was a torch. I thought of an idea, I took a paper bomb out of my pouch and tore off a piece of it. I put the rest back into my bag and hoped that I didn't just ruin that paper bomb.

I put the piece of paper bomb on the end of the torch that was meant to be lit (Obviously the best place to light a torch.) I activated the torn piece and backed away a little. Pop the piece burst and the torch caught fire. "Cool," I said to myself, the words still echoing across the cavern. "I'm going to have to remember that one." Having the light was great, but knowing what was originally holding the torch wasn't such a nice thing. It was a skeleton, a human skeleton; my heart skipped a beat as I saw it and also noticed a lack of vermin around the cave floor.

I walked slowly; hoping it was either natural causes or another random person had killed the man back there. But, that idea was soon proved wrong as I walked into a large cavern 'room' with numerous skeletons lying on the ground. "Crud," I said softly, making sure to speak so my words wouldn't echo. Thhssss I heard something large move somewhere to my left; I slowly walked toward the sound making sure to keep quiet. The suspense was deadly; a single breath would have been enough to break through it. Then, creeping on me as quickly as the silence had, nothing…

I awoke, my feet and hands where bound together in a cleaver rope knot. I slowly gathered the information that I so desperately needed. I was still in the cave; there was a very dull fire pit lighting up the entire cavern I was in. There where four people and a dog sitting around the dull fire. The air was rank with odor, to such an extent that the very air was hard to breathe in. "Ah, so he is awake." I heard a voice say as all four of the people still sat at the fire. "Hello?" I asked, afraid of what would come next.

"Welcome," I heard the voice, but it wasn't coming from the people sitting there. "You are next to become one of my slaves." The voice said cruelly as I tried to stand. "It is no use air breather." The chilling voice seemed to come from nowhere. "You are stuck there, never in my lifetime have I seen anyone break my knot." "Who are you?!" I yelled out, now deathly afraid for my life. "I am Shiin, also known as the Ash-born Slave-dealer. You have stumbled into my lair and now, you will become on of my slaves."

It was only then that I noticed that the four people where no longer people at all, they where more zombies than people. And there where more of them than just four, the whole large 'room' was filled with dozens of these things. They didn't blink, the hardly moved, and they apparently didn't even feel pain for one of them was on fire! The room was lit (Even though not very much,) but I still couldn't see any rats anywhere, for such a dark and dirty place I would expected rats.

I sat there for a moment, the voice had left but I could stiff feel something nearby. It took a moment before the presence finally went away, that's when I started to think about an escape. The 'thing' had taken away my pouch, but I had a knife hidden in the top part of my jacket, 'A ninja always has to have extra weapons on him' Master Yoshiro had taught me that lesson after we had been captured together and he had a trick like this up his sleeve. I grabbed the knife with my teeth and carefully dropped it down into my hand that where tied behind my back.

Within a few minutes the ropes where loose enough that I could break through it. "Alright…" I said with a heavy chest, the freezing nasty air was starting to get to me. "You aren't getting away that easily," Shiin slowly appeared behind me. He wasn't human; it was some sort of ghost! It was wearing some sort of black full body cloak and had a face that would make grown men cry (Trust me, I will have nightmares about that face as long as I live.)

"What are you!?" I yelled out as I slowly backed up. "I have already told you," It's didn't have a mouth and yet sound still came forth. "Do you not remember? My name is Shiin; I am the Ash-born Slave-dealer. I am neither alive nor dead. I am the one that torments your nightmares even while you are awake and the one watching you from the shadows at the dead of night." As he said this it moved closer, the air around it was even colder than the freezing air I was already breathing.

"NO!" I screamed out as I came at it with a punch. The punch went right through it and connected with the rock wall, and Pop just like that I had broken my right hand wrist. "Ah!" I was deathly terrified of the thing, whatever it was, it wasn't human. I ran, through the dark caverns and pathways, running for my very life. "It is no use air breather." The voice said from behind me. "The only way out is by giving up." "Never!" I yelled as I continued to run, running into walls and dead ends. "I can't give up! There are still things I must do on this earth!" I yelled back as I continued to run.

The cold, nasty, wet, cave air had finally gotten to me. I couldn't run anymore, but I had to keep moving, I knew I would be unable to fight the thing with a broken wrist. "You are stronger than you look, I will let you be my slave and enjoy life with me." The thing said as it appeared in front of me. "Or," It said as an alternative, "you can continue to resist me and enjoy death by yourself!" "No, I can't enjoy life like this," I replied back to it, out of breath but still walking away from it. "And I can't enjoy death either. Not like this, I must fulfill my master's wish before I die."

I slowly continued to back up, my breath become whimpering and my eyes where getting heavier. "Spiteful child," It said, still walking toward me. "How can you enjoy life all alone? Do you not long to be part of something else? Something bigger and better than you alone?" It asked these answer rhetorically, "If the one you live your life for is dead," It was almost to the right spot. "How can you ever enjoy living?"

BOOM! The explosive tag I had set on the cave wall went off. The cave wall was busted open, and led out into the fresh air, I was also caught in the explosion, but the fresh air coming from the hole in the wall was heavenly. "I can live my life with enjoyment for one reason," I answered the thing, speaking with more pride than before. "I can enjoy life because I have a dream worth dieing for! This is something the likes of you can never learn." I was lying down; a large rock shard had smashed into my leg and broke it. "Foolish air breather!" The thing hadn't died; it didn't look like it had even been injured by the suicidal attack.

"How dare you defy me," The thing said, now that it was standing right over me I could see it now, the explosion had hurt it; there was a large, gaping hole through its right shoulder. "Do you not know? My body is made of the souls that are trapped and killed in this cave. No matter how much you hurt me there will always be more victims foolishly come to this cave like you did." The thing had its hand on my forehead and was sucking the life out of me. I couldn't speak, and I could hardly move at all. "Now you will join my ranks as one of my slaves." It said coldly. "As I said, nobody has even esca…" Suddenly it was driven back by a sudden burst of light that came in through the hole I had made in the wall.

"Hsss…" The thing hissed at the light and its body dissipated into the darkness(The light from the explosion must have been what hurt it.) "Hold on kid," a voice spoke softly to me. "It'll be ok now. What is your name?" "My name," I had a hard time speaking, "is Daichi." I noticed the Cloud village headband around his head. "Ah! Thank god!" the man said, "You aren't dead. My name is Amasu, and you look pretty beat up." "That was one mean spirit you put up a fight against." Amasu said. "It is impossible to fully destroy it without killing every last body in there that the thing had devoured the life of."

"It was once a man," He said as he lifted me up and started walking, "that man had gotten lost in that cave and couldn't find his way out." "He eventually found a man, who knew his way around the cave but wouldn't help the man because he didn't want too." Amasu continued his story. "Even though he ate rats for many years, he didn't have any fresh water and air. Eventually the rats stopped coming, and travelers started to use the large cave system to travel through. In order to keep himself alive, the man used a forbidden technique to drain the life force from the travelers."

"But in doing so, it cost him his body and whatever was left of his soul. He slowly was transformed by his hate and greed of life into what he is now. He is bound to the place, he may never leave and any bright light is harmful to him." He finished up and took a long breath. "Some ninja sealed off the cave about ten years ago to make sure nobody was victim to him again, but it looks like we need a tighter seal on that door right?" He asked me with a wink.

"The Raikage's office," I said in my half daze. "It's going to be attacked tonight at nine." "At nine you say?" He asked and I simply nodded back. "Alright then, it's almost nine right now so we have to move." He sped up quicker and I finally passed out from exhaustion.

Names: Katak (Kah-tahk); Ontai (own-tai); Amasu (am-ass-oo); Shiin (Sh-in); Miku Tsukiko (Me-ku Tisuk-keyo); Ryoichi Hyuga (Ree-oh-ee-chee Hue-guh); Daichi Hayato. (Die-Chee Hay-ah-toe)