The Hidden Leaf Village was calm that morning, bathed in soft golden light. Birds sang in the trees, and the breeze carried the smell of blooming flowers from the forest nearby. Everything looked normal — but deep inside Naruto Uzumaki's small apartment, nothing was normal anymore.
His table was covered with strange items: chalk, candles, a small bowl of salt, and the two old books he had found in the Senju compound. The Grimoire of Shax lay open, its pages glowing faintly with red symbols. The second book, The Book of Silence, rested beside it — still closed, silent, waiting.
Naruto rubbed his sleepy eyes and stretched. "Alright," he said to himself. "Today's the day. I'm gonna try it."
"You are too eager," came the familiar calm voice of Shax inside his mind.
Naruto grinned. "You said I need to learn control. Well, I can't control anything if I don't even know how to summon properly, right?"
"Summoning spirits is not like summoning toads or snakes," Shax said patiently. "It is not a matter of chakra and contracts. It is a conversation between worlds. A wrong word, and the spirit you call may eat your mind."
Naruto gulped. "That's… very comforting. Thanks."
"You wanted honesty."
"Yeah, yeah." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Alright, so how do I start?"
"First, draw the circle. The lines must be exact. The ring will guide you."
Naruto looked down at the floor, where he had already cleared space. He grabbed the chalk and began drawing carefully, following the patterns shown in the book — a large outer circle, then smaller ones inside it, connected by lines and runes.
It took nearly an hour. Sweat ran down his forehead as he worked, but when he stepped back, the circle glowed faintly red.
"Not bad," Shax said. "Now place the candle at the four points — north, south, east, and west."
Naruto did so, lighting each one. The tiny flames flickered gently, filling the room with warm light.
"Good. Now, salt — pour it around the edge of the circle."
Naruto sprinkled salt carefully, forming a thin white line. "Like this?"
"Yes. It protects you from losing your soul."
Naruto froze. "Wait, what?!"
"Continue."
He groaned. "You could have said that before we started."
"Would you have continued if I had?"
Naruto sighed. "Point taken."
The Incantation
He stood in the middle of the circle, holding the Grimoire open. The page shimmered with red letters that seemed to move slightly, as if alive. The ring on his finger pulsed softly.
"Alright," Naruto whispered. "What now?"
"Speak the name. But focus your intent. You must not doubt. Spirits respond to strength."
Naruto took a deep breath. His heart was pounding so loud he could barely hear himself think. "Here goes nothing…"
He raised his hand and said clearly, "By name and bond, I summon the spirit of wind and whisper. Come forth — Shax!"
At first, nothing happened. The candles flickered. Then, suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped. A gust of wind blew through the apartment though the windows were shut. The chalk lines glowed brighter, the air thick with energy.
"Focus," said Shax's voice, sounding both inside and outside his head at once. "Channel your chakra through the ring."
Naruto clenched his fist, sending chakra into the ring. The red gem flared like fire. The wind spun faster, lifting small objects into the air. His curtains tore from the force. He grit his teeth, trying to keep his balance.
"Shax!" he shouted again.
Lightning flashed inside the room — bright white light followed by a roar that wasn't thunder. A shape began to form within the circle: a tall figure made of swirling shadows and silver light.
Naruto stepped back. "Whoa…"
The figure solidified slowly — a humanoid outline with wings of dark smoke, eyes glowing golden. The air around it shimmered with power.
"You have called, and I have answered," said Shax's voice — but now it came from the figure itself.
Naruto stared, his mouth open. "You… you're real. Like, really real."
"A fragment of me," said the spirit. "Your control is still weak. I cannot manifest fully, but this will do."
Naruto walked around the circle, awestruck. "You look like something from an old storybook!"
"Many stories were born from what humans once saw of us," Shax replied calmly.
Naruto smiled nervously. "You're not gonna, you know, eat me or anything, right?"
"If I wanted to, you would not be asking," Shax said dryly. "Now listen. You have proven you can call me. The next step is binding."
"Binding?" Naruto asked. "What's that?"
"It means our energies align. When you summon me again, I will answer without the full ritual. It will also allow you to borrow my abilities directly."
Naruto's eyes widened. "So I'll be able to use your powers?"
"In small amounts, yes. But every time you borrow, your spirit weakens. Balance is key."
Naruto nodded quickly. "Got it. So, how do we bind?"
"Repeat after me," Shax said, spreading his misty hands. The Grimoire's pages turned on their own, stopping at a page filled with swirling runes. "By blood and breath, by will and bond, let our paths entwine."
Naruto hesitated only a second, then repeated, "By blood and breath, by will and bond, let our paths entwine."
The ring flared bright red. Naruto's vision blurred as warmth flooded through his body. For a moment, he felt like he was floating — then the light faded, and the circle around him dimmed to normal chalk again.
Shax's form vanished slowly, leaving only the faint echo of his voice.
"It is done. We are one."
Naruto blinked. "That's it?"
"That is enough for today," Shax said quietly. "You've taken your first true step."
Naruto collapsed onto the floor, exhausted but smiling. "That… was awesome."
A Strange Visitor
Later that afternoon, Naruto cleaned up his apartment and carefully hid the Grimoire under the floorboards. He didn't want anyone — not even Iruka — to find it.
He decided to get some air. The sky was bright and clear, and a soft wind blew through the village. People were out shopping, children were playing, and for once, Naruto felt almost normal again.
But as he passed through a narrow alley, he noticed a man standing at the far end — tall, wrapped in a dark cloak. His face was hidden under a shadowed hat.
Naruto slowed down. "Uh, can I help you?"
The man tilted his head. "You are Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto frowned. "Yeah, who's asking?"
"I am a messenger," the man said softly. "From a friend who wishes to meet you."
"Who?"
"The one who knows about your eye… and your ring."
Naruto froze. "What did you just say?"
The man smiled faintly. "You should come tonight. The old shrine near the forest. Come alone."
Before Naruto could reply, the man turned and disappeared — not walked, not ran, just vanished into thin air like smoke.
"He is not human," Shax whispered immediately. "His energy was twisted."
Naruto looked around, heart racing. "What do I do? Should I go?"
"Curiosity will drive you there whether I say yes or no," Shax replied calmly. "So at least prepare yourself."
Naruto swallowed hard. "Alright. But if this goes wrong, you're helping."
"Always."
The Shrine Meeting
Night fell quickly. The moon was half-covered by clouds as Naruto reached the old shrine hidden deep in the forest. Moss covered the broken stone statues, and the air smelled of rain and decay.
He stepped carefully between the fallen torii gates. The ring on his hand glowed faintly, sensing energy nearby.
"Okay," Naruto muttered. "I'm here. Now what?"
A faint laugh echoed from the shadows. "You came. I knew you would."
Naruto turned quickly. A man stepped into the moonlight — the same cloaked figure from earlier. But now Naruto could see his face partially — pale skin, dark eyes with a strange gleam, and a scar across his jaw.
"Who are you?" Naruto demanded.
"Someone who studies power," the man said with a thin smile. "And you, boy, have something unique."
Naruto clenched his fists. "If you're one of Danzo's guys, you can tell him to shove it."
The man chuckled. "Danzo? No, no. My master is far greater. We have watched you since the night of the seal."
Naruto's stomach tightened. "You mean the night in the Senju house."
"Yes. When you woke the sleeping one."
"Naruto," Shax's voice hissed in warning, "be careful. He knows too much."
The man's eyes flicked slightly, as if he heard the whisper too. "Ah, so the spirit speaks even now. How fascinating."
Naruto took a step back. "You can hear him?"
"Only a little," the man said, his smile widening. "You have no idea what you carry, boy. That ring, that book — they are fragments of the Grand Seal of Solomon. With them, you could command all seventy-two spirits. Imagine it — a power beyond Hokage, beyond gods."
Naruto shook his head. "I don't care about that. I just want to protect my village."
The man's smile faded into disappointment. "How boring. You could remake the world, and you choose to play hero."
He lifted his hand — and suddenly the ground around Naruto shimmered. Dark symbols appeared, forming a seal circle much like Naruto's, but black instead of red.
"A trap!" Shax warned. "Break the circle!"
Naruto tried to jump back, but invisible chains of energy shot from the ground, wrapping around his arms and legs. He struggled, but they held tight.
The man laughed softly. "I'll take that ring now."
Naruto glared. "You'll have to pry it off me!"
The man's eyes flashed. "So be it."
He formed a hand seal. The black markings pulsed, and a dark shadow rose from the ground, shaped like a twisted serpent.
Naruto panicked. "Shax!"
"I am with you," the spirit said firmly. "Call me again!"
Naruto gritted his teeth, forcing chakra into the ring. "By bond and breath — come forth, Shax!"
Light exploded. The red seal flared to life, fighting against the black one. The serpent hissed, recoiling as the two forces clashed.
From the glow, Shax's spirit form emerged again — larger, clearer this time, his golden eyes blazing.
"You dare touch what is mine?" Shax's voice thundered, echoing through the forest.
The cloaked man stumbled back, his own seal breaking under the force. "Impossible…! The bond was incomplete!"
"Foolish human," Shax said. "This boy may be small, but his will is iron."
Naruto shouted, "Let's finish this, Shax!"
The spirit raised one shadowy hand, and wind roared around them, forming a spinning barrier of light. The dark seal shattered completely, and the man was thrown back against a stone pillar.
When the wind stopped, he was gone — vanished like mist.
Naruto fell to his knees, gasping for breath. "That… was crazy…"
"You are reckless," Shax said sternly. "Had I not intervened, you would be bound to his curse."
Naruto looked up, still shaking. "Who was he?"
"A seeker of forbidden power. There will be more like him."
Naruto clenched his fists. "Then we'll fight them all."
"In time," Shax said softly. "But remember — every time you use my power, the bond deepens. One day, you may not know where you end and I begin."
Naruto smiled faintly. "Then we'll just have to figure it out together."
The spirit said nothing, but for the first time, Naruto sensed a feeling — not just words, but emotion. Amusement. Pride, even.
"You are indeed my chosen one."
The spirit's form faded, leaving Naruto alone in the quiet forest. The candles from the shrine flickered weakly in the distance. He looked up at the sky — the moon now bright and white again.
He stood, brushing off dirt. "Looks like I've got a lot more to learn."
He walked back toward the village slowly, the ring glowing faintly under the moonlight. Behind him, the old shrine's stones cracked slightly, as if something deep underground had stirred in response.
The wind whispered through the trees.
"Soon…"