Chapter One: The Thief
Naraku was a loner. He never asked anyone for help, and he turned down every offer to join forces with gangs of other criminals. He didn't need them, he'd successfully pulled off every heist without ever being captured by the police. He was easily the best bandit around. Which is why Kumo, the biggest crime boss in Tokyo, ordered Naraku join forces with him. And he did not take Naraku's rejection well.
Naraku's main hide out was a small shack in the country. So many miles from the city, it kept him and his stash of riches well hidden within the forest. But Kumo was a powerful man, with a seemingly infinite number of criminals working for him. His men found Naraku's hide out, and they surrounded it. And Naraku didn't stand a chance.
Naraku laid on the floor, severely beaten and left for dead. Having done their job of taking care of him and cleaning out his stash, there was nothing left to do but burn the evidence.
As Naraku watched the flames devouring the whole shack around him, he became overwhelmed with real fear for the first time. Then his fear was replaced with resolve. He was not going to die like this. He was not going to let them win. Somewhere deep within himself, he found the strength to survive.
He escapes the fire, but the cost is severe. Most of Naraku's body is now covered in burns. But he can't stop yet. Someone will see the fire, and any second now police will start to arrive at the scene. Naraku won't be able to make it far in this condition, so he starts heading towards the only house he knows to be close by.
As he walks, skin seething with burns, lungs struggling to breathe from all the smoke, and legs so weak they might fail him at any moment, Naraku thought about what he must do when he got to the little house towards the edge of the forest. That do-gooder doctor would surely turn him in, so he'll just have to take her out before she gets the chance.
Naraku always thought it was odd for a single woman to be living alone out here, so secluded and unprotected. She never had any visitors besides a young girl he assumed to be her sister. He had to admit, he took a lot of pleasure in keeping tabs on this strange and beautiful girl.
He never had to worry about her finding his hid out, despite it being only half a mile away. She spends all day, every day, at the local hospital. And by the time she gets home, she is so wore out that she goes straight to bed. Surely someone who works that much can afford to live closer to town.
Whatever her reason is for keeping herself so distant from society, it's to his advantage. Kumo thinks he is dead, the fire won't leave anything left in that shack that could tip the police off to his presence there. He'll be safe once he makes it to that doctor's house and silences her.
That is, if his body doesn't give out on him before he gets there. Naraku's adrenaline is wearing off, and his wounds are starting to get the best of him. He'd made this walk many times to come spy on her, but it's never felt as long as it does now.
When the distant light from her bedroom window finally comes into sight, he mentally prepares himself for the task ahead.