The morning after the red eye's awakening was bright and peaceful, as if the world had no idea what had changed. Birds sang on the rooftops, and the Hidden Leaf Village buzzed with its usual life.
Naruto, however, couldn't stop thinking about the dream — about Shax, the voice that spoke in riddles, and the strange words that still echoed in his head.
"When the red moon rises, seek the ring."
He repeated it over and over while walking to the Academy. "Seek the ring, seek the ring… what ring?"
He scratched his head, frustrated. "Why can't those weird spirits ever say things straight?"
The path to the Academy was lined with market stalls and busy villagers. People were laughing, trading, shouting — all normal things — but Naruto felt different from them now. He could sense faint lines of light flowing through people's bodies. When he focused, he could almost hear their emotions like distant echoes — fear, joy, envy, and sometimes sadness.
He blinked and shook his head quickly. "Stop it, stop it," he whispered to himself. "Don't go crazy."
He forced a smile as he reached the Academy gate.
Back to the Academy
Inside, things hadn't changed much. The same noisy chatter, the same groups of friends, and the same few glances toward him that carried judgment or curiosity.
"Hey," Kiba called, leaning back in his chair. "Look who's back from the dead."
Naruto grinned. "Miss me?"
Kiba smirked. "Not really. Heard you saw ghosts."
Naruto laughed. "Yeah? Maybe I'll introduce them to you next time."
Iruka entered before the teasing could go further. "Alright, class! Let's get started. Transformation drills, followed by shuriken practice."
Naruto threw himself into training harder than ever. Each time he formed a seal, he could see the chakra lines move through his hands, glowing faintly like red threads. He realized he could guide them better now — the flow made sense somehow.
When he performed the Transformation Jutsu again, a cloud of smoke appeared — and this time, the illusion was perfect. He looked exactly like Iruka.
The class gasped.
Even Iruka's eyes widened. "Naruto… that was excellent!"
Naruto grinned proudly. "Guess I'm finally getting it!"
He noticed Sakura staring in surprise, and even Kiba looked impressed (though he pretended not to be).
For the first time in a long while, Naruto felt proud of himself.
But something else happened too — when he released the transformation, his right eye pulsed with a faint red glow. He didn't notice it, but Iruka did. The teacher frowned slightly, remembering the Hokage's warning.
Something is changing in him, Iruka thought.
The Red Moon
That night, Naruto couldn't sleep. The dream words echoed louder now:
"When the red moon rises…"
He tossed and turned, pulling the blanket over his head. But when he looked through the window, his breath caught.
The moon was blood-red.
The strange color painted the entire village in a dim scarlet light. The air felt heavy, almost alive. The sight made his skin prickle.
Naruto sat up, his heart racing. "No way… this can't be what he meant."
As if answering him, the same whisper returned — faint but clear:
"Go… to where it began."
Naruto knew instantly — the old Senju compound.
He hesitated only for a second before jumping out of bed. "If this is another trick, I'll punch that voice myself."
He threw on his jacket and ran through the silent streets. The red moon glowed high above, watching him.
Return to the Senju Compound
The compound looked even more eerie under the crimson light. The trees cast long shadows that moved like hands, and the wind whistled through broken windows.
Naruto pushed the heavy gate open again. The same creak echoed through the air. His feet crunched over dried leaves as he stepped inside.
The hall where he had collapsed weeks ago was quiet, but not empty. The faint smell of ash lingered. He could still see the burned mark on the floor — the circle of symbols that had seared into his mind.
He took a deep breath and stepped closer.
The red moonlight shone through a crack in the roof, hitting the center of the circle. As the light touched the floor, the markings glowed faintly again.
Naruto's eye pulsed. He could feel something beneath the floor — a vibration, a heartbeat, a call.
He crouched down and pressed his hand against the wooden plank. "There's something here…"
The voice whispered inside him:
"Yes… open it."
Naruto hesitated. "You better not be lying, Shax."
He dug his fingers into the edge of the floorboard and pulled. The wood cracked and came loose, revealing a small hidden compartment filled with dust and spider webs. Inside was a small black chest, no bigger than a bread box, wrapped in ancient paper seals.
"Whoa," Naruto breathed. "This is… old."
He picked it up carefully. The moment his hand touched it, the seals shimmered, then faded into dust — like they recognized him.
The chest clicked open on its own.
Inside was a ring — dark silver, carved with strange symbols, and a single red gem in the center. Next to it lay two small books, bound in leather so old it looked almost fossilized.
Naruto's fingers trembled as he picked up the ring. The moment he did, the red gem glowed faintly, matching the color of his eye.
"You have found it," Shax's voice said softly. "The Ring of Solomon — the mark of the Magus."
Naruto stared at it. "The what now?"
"The ring that binds spirits. With it, kings once commanded demons and angels alike. Its bearer is called Magus."
Naruto blinked. "You're saying this lets me… control demons? That sounds like something I shouldn't be touching!"
"Control is an illusion," Shax replied. "Bonding is truth. The ring chooses, and it has chosen you."
Naruto frowned, looking at the books. "And these?"
"Grimoires," the voice explained. "The Books of Seals. They hold the names of the 72 spirits that once served the Magus. Two are yours now. The others will come when you are ready."
Naruto opened the first book carefully. The pages were filled with strange writing and circular diagrams. At the top was a name written in bold strokes:
"Shax — The Whispering Demon."
He stared. "That's you."
"Indeed," the voice said, amused. "And now that you hold my name, our bond is complete."
Naruto frowned. "What bond? I didn't agree to anything!"
"You did, the moment you bled on the seal that night," Shax said calmly. "But fear not. I am your guide, not your master."
Naruto sighed. "This is way too weird."
He slipped the ring onto his right hand — and instantly, warmth spread through his body. The gem glowed, and for a second, the entire room lit up with red light.
He felt energy flow through his veins — stronger, heavier than chakra but somehow familiar.
"This power…" he whispered. "It's like… fire and wind mixed together."
"It is spirit energy," Shax said. "It will grow with you, but be careful. Every power demands balance."
Naruto looked down at the second book. Unlike the first, this one had no name. Only a blank cover.
"What's this one?" he asked.
"The Book of Silence," the voice said. "It holds the seal of another spirit, still sleeping. You must awaken it when the time is right."
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't even know how to wake anything."
"You will," said Shax. "In time."
The Warning
Naruto spent hours reading the strange symbols in the Grimoire. Somehow, even though the writing wasn't in any language he knew, he understood it — as if the knowledge was being whispered directly into his mind.
Each page contained names, drawings, and incantations. The one about Shax described a creature that could see through lies, travel unseen, and command the wind.
He looked around the room. "If you're really this strong, why don't you show yourself?"
A faint chuckle echoed.
"You wouldn't survive seeing my true form. Not yet. But I can lend you a piece of my power."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Put your hand on the ring. Speak the words written in the book."
Naruto hesitated, then whispered, "By name and bond, I call upon the Whispering Wind… Shax!"
The air in the room trembled. Dust rose from the floor, swirling around him like a storm. The red gem on the ring burned brightly, and then — the wind spoke.
A shape formed in front of him, made of mist and light — tall, with glowing eyes and wings made of shadow. It wasn't solid, but it was real enough to make Naruto step back.
"Whoa… you're huge!"
"This is only a fragment," Shax's voice echoed from the shape. "I will appear like this until your body can hold my presence."
Naruto stared in awe. "So I really did summon a demon…"
"Not a demon," Shax corrected. "A spirit of the old world. Words matter, boy."
Naruto scratched his head. "You don't sound that scary."
"And you don't sound that wise," Shax said dryly. "We both have growing to do."
Naruto laughed nervously. "Guess we're stuck together, huh?"
"For better or worse," Shax said, fading slowly into the air. "Keep the ring close, Magus. There are those who would kill for it."
When the spirit vanished, Naruto stood alone in the silent room, heart still pounding.
He looked at the ring, now dim again, and whispered, "Magus, huh? I kinda like the sound of that."
He picked up the books, closed the chest, and hid them inside his jacket. Then he took one last look at the red moon outside.
"Looks like my life just got a whole lot weirder," he said softly.
The Return Home
By the time he returned to his apartment, dawn was breaking. The red moon faded into pale morning light. He placed the books carefully under his bed and looked at the ring again.
The gem reflected the rising sun like fire.
He smiled. "Alright, Shax. You said I'd learn, right? Then let's learn."
"As you wish, Naruto," came the whisper in his mind. "Our path begins."
Naruto sat by the window, watching the new day arrive over the rooftops of Konoha.
He didn't know it yet, but this was the moment his real story began — the moment the boy who wanted to be Hokage started walking a road far beyond the path of any ninja.
He was still Naruto Uzumaki — loud, clumsy, and full of dreams — but now, he was also something else.
A Magus.
And the Hidden Leaf would soon discover what that meant.