Under the neon lights of Tokyo reflecting off the wet pavement, Kai suddenly stopped… It wasn't the music in his ears, but a strange sensation that struck him for a second—as if someone was watching him. And in that exact moment, everything changed.
Kai tried to regain his composure. At 17 years old, he lived for solitude and quiet, finding Tokyo at night to be the only place where he truly felt at ease. His long black hair complemented his 166 cm stature, and his dark eyes reflected a calm demeanor; he was a boy of few words and even fewer smiles. His only real passion in this world was football—the one thing that truly gave him energy.
But tonight, something felt different.
In the midst of his confusion, his eyes fell upon Ino. She was the beautiful girl from his school, the one he had admired from the very first moment he saw her in high school. She stood a short distance away, looking like a painting under the city lights. Kai watched her from afar, his heart racing, yet his shyness kept him from taking even a single step toward her.
He returned home, leaving her ghost behind, to find his mother cooking his favorite dish: eggs with milk and lemon juice.
"Dinner is ready, Kai," his mother said.
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Okaa-san!" Kai replied politely.
As he sat down to eat, his mind wouldn't stop racing. Every thought was anchored to Ino and the image of her he had just seen moments ago.
. After finishing his meal, he went to brush his teeth and went to sleep. Kai slept and had a strange dream: he was wearing a black outfit with a red emblem, and Ino stood beside him in a blue outfit, both wearing their combat uniforms. Suddenly, a mysterious person appeared from nowhere and tried to take Ino. Kai said, "No!" The dark figure replied, "Do not interfere. Do you want to fight?" When he tried to take her from her armor, Kai threw a punch, but the mysterious man blocked it. He began to jump rapidly, then shouted loudly: "Ninja Art!" and fired ninja spear flames. Kai also shouted: A large gate appeared, blocking all the spears. Was Kai dreaming of a hidden world or the Naruto world? He didn't understand anything. At one moment, Kai used the Sharingan and shouted: "Chidori!" Lightning burst from his hands toward the dark man, while Ino looked at him with love. Then Kai woke up from the dream, his heart pounding from exhaustion, and said, "What is this dream?" Kai had dreamed of the Naruto world, and who doesn't dream of this beautiful world we've always imagined? But Kai is not a fan of Naruto or manga; he is a football fan. Kai went back to sleep thinking about the dream, but one thing pleased him: Ino held his hand in the dream. The next morning, Kai woke up and found his mother had gone to work, leaving him breakfast. Kai rode his bicycle to school, thinking all the way about that dream: how he fought, how his eyes looked, the terrifying dark man, and how Ino watched him. He stopped for a moment on his bicycle near a street and remembered that the dark man said: "Do not interfere, you, Atori Uchiha." Kai said to himself, "Atori Uchiha? Who is this? What does it mean?" But he didn't care much and continued to school (Logine). When he arrived, he looked for Ino but did not find her. He entered the classroom and joined his fellow students. As we know, Kai speaks little; while all the students were talking, Kai kept thinking about the names Atori, Uchiha, Ino, and the dream until the teacher entered. The teacher stood in front of the blackboard and wrote the word "illusion." Then he turned to the class and said, "Sometimes illusion is more dangerous than reality." Suddenly, a student in Kai's class spoke in a funny voice: "Sensei, you talk about illusion as if you were Itachi Uchiha." Some students laughed, but Kai said, "Who and what are Itachi and Uchiha? What is this?" The lesson continued, and when the bell rang at Logine High School, the students left. Kai immediately went to the student named Neron. He was around Kai's age, loved anime, sarcastic, and a bit mischievous. His hair was ash gray, his eyes hazel, and his features were innocent. Kai said, "Neron, I'm going to ask you a question. Who is Itachi Uchiha?" Neron smiled, "Kai, are you joking? Who doesn't know that name? He's a character from the anime and manga 'Naruto'." Kai said, "I don't watch anime or anything. Can you tell me about him or give me information about all this? I want to start this anime." Neron said, "Why are you so insistent? Okay, meet me near the bridge at 8:00 PM." Kai left Logine High School and went straight home on his bicycle. He opened the door and said, "Mom, I'm home!" He didn't find his mother; she was still at work. Kai went to the refrigerator, took the last bottle of water, showered, put on his regular clothes, and went for a walk. On the way, he heard the sounds of cars, trains, and cats. Life in Tokyo was very noisy. Kai said to himself, "If I get to know the Naruto world, I'll be able to explain my dream, and I'll tell Ino about this dream… because I really love Ino." While walking and talking to himself, his gaze wandered toward the bridge. He saw four people: two girls and two boys, including Neron and Ino. Kai said, "What is this?" When he reached them, he greeted them. Neron turned, holding Ino's hand. Neron said, "Kai, hey, you're late." Immediately, Kai thought Neron and Ino might be in a relationship. Kai's eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed. Kai said, "I was late because I took a shower… anyway, I'm here." Neron said, "Let me introduce you to Jess, Kati, and Ino." Ino said, "I know Kai. We're in the same history class." Kai said, "Yeah, that's right." Jess was an ambitious young man with attractive features. Kati was his girlfriend, a gentle, beautiful girl with dark features. Neron said, "At school, you asked me if you wanted to get to know the Naruto world and manga, didn't you?" Before Kai could speak, Ino said, "What? Kai, you're not an otaku?" They all started making fun of him. Kai smiled and said, "No, but I want you to introduce me to this world. I only watch European football, not even Asian football." Jess said to Kai, "You've missed a lot. The Naruto world ended a while ago. Now it's Boruto anime and manga." Kai said, "And who is Boruto?" They all replied sarcastically, "He's Naruto's son," and laughed. Kai said to them, "And who is Atori Uchiha? Is he Itachi Uchiha's son, or the other way around?" Everyone fell silent and looked at each other. For a moment, Jess, Kati, and Neron laughed, but Ino stared intensely. They said, "Kai, stop. You're joking too much." Ino said, "We've all seen the Naruto world. In the Uchiha era before their annihilation, the author focused on the important Uchiha. Was there anyone among them named Atori Uchiha?" Neron and Jess thought for a moment. Ino said, "Where did you hear that name, Kai?" At first, Kai didn't want to answer, because he would have to mention the whole dream, that Ino was with him in it, and that he was Atori Uchiha in the dream. But he said, "I saw it on the internet." Ino looked at him for a while. She seemed unconvinced. Then she said, "Weird. Or maybe he's from some fan fiction." Neron intervened: "Enough about anime and its mysteries. Let's go. And you, Kai, go on the internet and watch the 'Naruto' anime when he was a kid. When you finish that, watch 'Naruto Shippuden' – that's where the real saga begins. After that, watch 'Boruto'." Kati said, "No, I don't recommend watching young Naruto now. Just 'Naruto Shippuden' is enough." Jess said, "And where's the fun in that?" While Kati, Jess, and Neron argued, Ino kept looking at Kai. Suddenly, Kai's phone rang. Kai said, "It's my mom. Okay, I have to go. We'll continue another day." Kai left. On the way, he answered the phone: "Yes, Mom, I'm on my way." She said she was just checking on him. He said he'd be home soon. While on the main street, about 1500 meters from his house, he suddenly heard a voice: "Hey, Kai!" He turned around and found Ino there. She was wearing a pretty skirt, her hands behind her back, and said with all her heart: "Are you really going to start the Naruto anime? Or are you just looking for Atori Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha? Just so you know, Itachi was one of the three Uchiha who survived the massacre of the entire Uchiha clan – no spoilers. As for Atori, if he existed, he would have been before the village was founded or before the clan was wiped out." Kai said, "Stop, Ino. I'll figure all this out on my own, without spoilers." Kai approached his house while still on the way. Kai said, "So, you've finished the whole world of Naruto and the manga?" Ino said with all her heart, "Yes, even the Naruto movies." Kai said, "Who's your favorite character in the Naruto world?" Ino stopped, staring at the Tokyo skyline, the sounds of cars, motorcycles, and people everywhere. She looked into the distance and said, "It's as if I can see him from here." Kai, confused, said, "Who, Ino?" "Who else? The First Hokage. It's as if I can see his face carved into the Hokage mountain right there." Kai didn't understand. When he reached home, they said their goodbyes. Ino said, "Enjoy, Kai," then added sarcastically, laughing: "I mean, enjoy, Atori Uchiha." Kai responded in a funny voice too, "Even if I were Atori Uchiha, it would be to protect you." While leaving, Ino heard this, stopped in surprise, and said, "Oh, really? You're going to protect me?" Before Kai could say yes, she laughed mockingly: "The First Hokage or Naruto will protect me." Kai said, "As you wish," and went inside. Kai entered the house and found his mother had cooked dinner. He talked with her a bit. He asked about her day; she said it was fine and asked how he was. Kai said, "It was a good day." His mother said, "I've never seen you smiling like this before. What's new, Kai?" Kai told his mother about his day and what happened. Afterwards, he brushed his teeth and went to sleep. Before sleeping, Kai thought about his day and said to himself: "Mom noticed that I was a little happy today. When I talked with Neron, Jess, and Kati, and most importantly, with the one I secretly love, Ino, thanks to the Naruto world. Wow, this is dopamine and excitement! If I really get into this world, I might win Ino over. But I don't know if she likes Neron or if they're just friends." He contemplated all of this until he fell into a deep sleep. But then, in a moment…
Kai sleeps, and while he is asleep, he hears a voice from afar in the dream saying, "Atori, wake up, you are stronger than this battle." Kai jumps out of his bed quickly and turns on the light in the room.
He wonders: will Kai see Atori again? And who really is Atori Uchiha? What does he want from Kai? And what is this connected to Ino, the secret of the First Hokage, and the world of Naruto? Follow the latest events, and share your beautiful comments.