AN 10/14: Wow, it's really been that long since I started this fic huh? If I had a kid when i started writing, he/she would be in first grade! o-O

Theme Song of this chapter is for...Kakashi!

Kakashi: Into the nothing by Breaking Benjamin

An: Ah, now that my finals are over, and my SAT is in the past, I can write fanfiction to my heart's content. But knowing my luck some shit will come up. Lol. Here's chapter one of Hunter X. I will be shamelessly taking ideas from any anime, book, or movie that may enhance the story, so send me a review if you recognize anything!

Note: Kyuubi "spoken" 'thought'

The silence in the mossy forest could be described as unnatural. Some would go as far as saying that it was a supernatural occurrence, for how could a forest so large and full of life be completely devoid of sound? Granted, it was night time, and it was quite cold. But even then, there should have been some noise, some nocturnal animal creeping about, some insect chirping as it went moved around doing its business. Even the wind, which during the autumn season loved to howl and tease the leaves in the forest, was silent. It was as if Mother Nature was holding her breath in anticipation as she watched the drama unfold on her very bosom of earth and wood.

Ganji POV

How long have he been running? One day? One week? One hour? It did not matter. All he knew was that he had to get away. Kami must be coming to take his soul for all his sinful deeds. Why the hell did he ever run away from his village?! He was such a fool to think that he could escape. Oh Kami! That thing's presence was close! He was like a hunted animal! No matter where he ran that monster would find him!

General POV

The desperate missing-nin Ganji Momoto ran blindly through the forest, tearing through the dense woods at breakneck speed; stealth was completely forgotten as animal instincts took over. It was a losing battle. A shadow detached itself away from a tree overhead and followed silently over the running man. A flash of steel glinted through the darkened autumn night, and nearly a hundred feet away, the missing-nin ducked and managed to avoid the fatal strike. But still, he bled from the wound on his shoulder caused by the thrown blade. Wincing and quaking in fear, the former Grass-nin gave a howl of rage and blindly threw his remaining shurikens in the direction he assumed his assailant was. The spinning disks peppered the foliage above the escaping man sending a shower of leaves tumbling down towards the earth. Sweat dripped down his forehead as Ganji held his breath.

'Did I get him?' He took a hesitant step forward eyes squinting against the inky blackness. Then another. And another. Hope began to worm it's way into his heart and for but a moment he allowed himself to relax. A sharp whistle and a splatter of blood was the only sign that he lost. Gaping stupidly at the kunai that was embedded up to the hilt in his neck, Ganji gave an unintelligible gurgle before he fell forward. As his vision faded and his ragged shirt soaked up the pool of blood forming under his body he saw his killer drop from a nearby tree.

'Funny. I could have sworn he was taller.' Then the man knew no more as oblivion claimed him.

The short figure as Ganji observed, was somewhere around 4'11". He had waist length blond hair that seemed to reflect the little moonlight that managed to sneak through the dense leaves of the forest. His attire consisted of a black fishnet shirt under a vest made of some type of animal leather with many pockets. His black pants matched his shirt and surroundings, and a pouch with gleaming projectiles peeking out of the open flap was bandaged to his right leg. Around his waist, he wore a small supple pouch that all traveling shinobi's wore. But what was most captivating about the young boy, was his face. Or rather, his lack of one. In place of his face, was a blank mask; a leaf symbol adorned its forehead, but what attracted the eye was the angry red slash mark that formed an ominous X on the right side of his mask. The mask covered his face entirely, and the only thing that could be seen were the two cold crystal blue orbs that stood observing the world through the two eye holes in the visor. His name was Uzumaki Naruto.

The young masked hunter-nin stood there for an unknown amount of time, quietly observing his dead prey. At last, his left hand snaked to the supply pouch at his waist and rummaged about until he produced a scroll. Unraveling it, he placed it on the ground revealing a huge volume of spiral Kanji that seemed to surround five giant block letters. Each of these block letters meant head. Four of them were red, but curiously, the last one was black.

Naruto crouched over the dead body and lifted it up slightly by the shoulder. Grasping the kunai buried in the neck, he pulled the razor sharp blade towards himself. A cascading waterfall of blood splashed onto the ground accompanied by the sounds of flesh being torn, and bones being sliced. His hands were dyed red as he separated the former Grass-nin's head from the cooling body.

His ghoulish work done, Naruto placed the decapitated head on the seal that was still black. Cutting his thumb with the bloody kunai in his right hand, the blonde swiped some of his blood on the kanji surrounding the head. Dropping the bloodied kunai, his hands flashed quickly through nine hand seals before he slammed the palm of his hand on the head. With a flash of blinding light, the slightly gaping head of Ganji vanished along with the blood dripping on the scroll. The final kanji for head, glowed an eerie crimson before fading to the dull maroon of half dried blood.

"Well that was pathetic. They were so weak it was hardly a challenge. Your Hokage's mission assignment system is fucked up. No way that was an A rank!" This strangely demonic voice could not be heard by anyone but Naruto, for deep within the recess of his mind, there lay a sealed demon, the Nine Tailed Fox of legends. The great fox had once threatened to annihilate the village of Konoha, but the Fourth Hokage in a desperate kamikaze maneuver had sacrificed his own soul to the death god in order to seal the fox in a vessel. That vessel was Naruto. Over the years, the fox and its jailer had come to a mutual silent and unconfirmed friendship, though if asked, neither would admit to it.

"It doesn't matter Kyuubi." The boy's voice was monotonous and bland from disuse. It was apparent that Naruto wasn't much of a talker. "The Hokage wanted the Viper gang taken out before they became a problem. I complied with his orders." Rolling up the scroll, Naruto returned it to his supply pouch and stood back up.

"Feh," sneered the lord of demons. "You're like an obedient dog. Your loyalty towards that old man is sickening. I'm going back to sleep. Wake me if you're going to kill something." With that, the demon's presence faded from Naruto's mind.

Picking up his fallen kunai, Naruto sent it point first into the ground to remove the blood coating it. Temporarily ignoring the blade embedded in the earth, Naruto made three hand seals. Raising his left hand into the air and allowing two fingers to point up, he made the same symbol with the right hand at his chest. After a moment of silence, a dense fog appeared in front of him. Sticking his bloody hands into the thick mist, he rubbed vigorously, allowing the water particles to remove the blood staining his palms. When he was done, the fog crept away as silently as it had come.

Turning around, Naruto stared for a moment at the headless body of Ganji. Removing the kunai knife from the ground, he nicked his right hand before tucking the blade into one of the many pockets on his vest. Forming five quick hand seals, he slammed his bleeding palm onto the ground. From his right hand, hundreds of black tattoo-like symbols appeared and crawled its way down onto the ground forming a spiral pattern. A loud band followed by a flash of smoke announced the arrival of a huge fox. It was nearly the size of a tiger, and looked equally dangerous. Its fur was gleaming silver, and its smoothness could only come from countless hours of grooming. Its face gave the appearance of mocking laughter, as though there was some great joke only it understood.

When it spoke, it's voice was clearly feminine even through it's inhumanly throaty purr. "You called Naruto-kun?" The silver fox fluttered her eyelashes playfully at him.

"Hai. Inoue, please take care of the body." The great fox hummed and rubbed her head against the blonde's leg.

"You know, you're going to spoil a girl like that." Naruto grunted and scratched her behind her ears; her favorite spot.

"You can leave when you're done." The fox leered and without warning leaped at the body, tearing into the flesh with her great fangs. The sound of bones being cracked by massive incisors filled the relatively quiet night, followed by the gulps of flesh being swallowed.

Turning away from Inoue's feasting, Naruto took off through the forest with only one thing in mind after a week of tracking and killing five missing-nins.

'Home'

An: Ah and there you have chapter one. The action begins in chapter two, when he gets home. Review please! I want to hear what people have to say so far.