Naruto walked through the bustling streets of Konoha, his hands gripping the small pouch of ryo he had earned from today's mission.
The sound of villagers chatting, vendors calling out deals, and the occasional laughter of children filled the air, but Naruto barely paid attention.
Instead, he was grinning at his pay.
"Man, finally! Some actual money!" he thought, bouncing the pouch in his palm.
Sure, today's mission was another boring D-rank chore—some plant-collecting nonsense—but at least it paid. And now, he was heading straight to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate.
His stomach growled in agreement, making him pick up the pace.
But as he walked past the Konoha Library, something made him slow down.
The large, quiet building stood there like always, its entrance open, inviting.
Naruto stopped in his tracks.
…Should I check again?
The thought had popped into his mind before he could stop it.
Last time, he had found out about bloodlines, DNA, and some interesting things about clans. That information had been useful. But… what if he had missed something?
What if there was more?
His stomach grumbled again, reminding him of his original goal.
Ramen… or books?
For a moment, he hesitated.
But then, with a determined nod, he turned towards the library.
"Alright, just a quick look. Then ramen!"
With that, he walked inside.
The scent of old paper and ink filled the air as Naruto made his way through the library's Clan Archives again.
He pulled out books, skimmed through pages, and searched for anything he might have overlooked last time.
But… nothing.
All the books he had already read.
All the information he had already seen.
Naruto let out a deep sigh, resting his chin on his palm.
"Tch… Guess that's it, huh?"
Still, not wanting to leave just yet, he started wandering through other sections, checking if anything else caught his eye.
Tactical Strategies – Too advanced.
Jutsu Theory – Clan-based, not helpful.
Historical Records – Yawn.
After a while, he simply gave up.
Slumping onto a bench in the reading hall, he stared up at the ceiling.
"Guess I should just go eat."
Pushing himself up, he turned toward the exit—
And that's when he saw it.
A flashy book with gold lettering and a stylized cover sat near the entrance, standing out among the dull-colored tomes around it.
The cover depicted a solitary ninja standing on a battlefield, his cloak tattered, his sword pointed at an army of enemies.
The title?
"The Lone Shadow: A Warrior Against Nations."
Naruto blinked.
"What's this?"
His curiosity piqued, he stepped forward, grabbed the book, and flipped to the introduction.
> "This is the tale of Kaito, a ninja who stood alone against entire armies, fighting not for glory, not for power, but for the survival of his homeland. Betrayed, outnumbered, and wounded countless times, he never wavered. Against all odds… he rose."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
This wasn't like the boring history books he had skimmed earlier. This sounded… exciting.
Before he knew it, he had sat back down at the table, the book open in his hands.
"Just a few pages," he muttered.
Hours Pass…
Naruto was hooked.
The story pulled him in as if he were watching it unfold right before his eyes.
Kaito wasn't a hero in shining armor. He was a ninja born into chaos, thrown into war at a young age.
He didn't have a powerful bloodline, nor was he chosen by fate. But through sheer determination, intelligence, and endless battles, he became stronger—so strong that entire nations feared his name.
His battles weren't about glory. They were about survival. About protecting what little he had.
Page after page, Naruto read as Kaito took on enemy generals, assassins, and betrayal from his own people. Every time the world tried to break him, he pushed back harder.
Naruto barely noticed as the hours slipped by.
He wasn't reading a fictional story anymore—his mind treated it as real. Every battle, every struggle, every desperate moment felt alive.
"Man, this guy's insane…" Naruto muttered under his breath, flipping the page eagerly.
For the first time, he didn't just see himself as a ninja who wanted to be acknowledged. He saw another path—a path of strength, survival, and rising beyond limits.
The library's clock chimed in the distance, snapping Naruto out of his trance.
He blinked, looking up to see that the once crowded hall was now nearly empty. The sun had lowered, casting an orange glow through the windows.
How long have I been reading?
His fingers tightened around the book's cover.
Something about this story stuck with him—the idea that power wasn't just about recognition or being the Hokage.
What if strength… was just for yourself?
Closing the book, he stared at the title one last time.
"The Lone Shadow…"
He wasn't sure why, but… he felt like this story wasn't just fiction.
Maybe… just maybe, there was something to learn from it.
With a final glance at the book, Naruto placed it back on the shelf.
He stood up, stretched, and let out a deep breath.
"Guess I should head home."
As he walked out of the library, he couldn't help but wonder—
Would he ever fight battles like Kaito? Would he ever have to stand alone?
He didn't know the answer.
But for the first time, he realized…
He was curious to find out.
His mind was still occupied with thoughts of the book—of Kaito, the lone ninja who carved his path through endless battles.
The story had left a strange feeling in his chest, something new… something he couldn't quite put into words.
"Man, that was one hell of a story…" Naruto muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked.
The streets weren't as busy now, only a few villagers moving about, finishing their day.
The usual sounds of Konoha were still there—chatter, the distant clinking of shopkeepers closing for the night, and the occasional laughter of a child.
But Naruto wasn't paying attention.
His mind kept replaying certain moments from the book—Kaito standing alone against a group of rogue ninjas, his exhaustion clear, but his determination unshaken.
That kind of mindset… that kind of strength…
It was… interesting.
Naruto kept walking, his feet moving on their own, his head still stuck in the story.
Then—
Grrrrrlllggggg…
His stomach let out a monstrous growl.
Naruto blinked.
Then his eyes widened.
"Wait a minute—!"
He stopped dead in his tracks, looking around, realizing where he was.
…Almost home.
His apartment was just around the corner.
"Wait, wasn't I… going somewhere?"
A second passed.
Then it hit him.
RAMEN.
"I was going to Ichiraku's!"
Naruto facepalmed so hard the sound echoed in the empty street.
"No way… I really forgot ramen?!"
He couldn't believe it. How in the world had he gotten so caught up in a book that he forgot his most sacred routine?!
Shaking his head rapidly, he spun on his heel and sprinted back toward Ichiraku's.
"No way I'm skipping dinner!"
As he dashed through the streets, villagers turned to see a blonde blur rushing past them, muttering something about "almost betraying ramen."
That night, as Naruto slurped down a steaming bowl of miso ramen, he still couldn't get the story out of his head.