It's a peacefull day in the fire village.  The sun is shining brightly, and there is no talk of war going on for once. 

''What do you want to do, Arai?'' asked Max.  ''I wanna go back to Japan,'' Arai replied.  ''Why?' asked Max.  ''You want to leave me, your best friend, alone.  You know that I have no other friend.  Besides what does America lack?''  ''It lacks peace, you imbecile.  Every month, there's some fight or the other.  I don't like it.'  ''What are you afraid of?  I'm here for you.  And everybody fears me.''  Arai snorted with laughter.  Max knew perfectly, that he got bullied everyday, and that he feared everybody, instead of everybody fearing him.

  ''Come on, Max, let's go to your house.  They walked to Max's house joking along the way.  But when they came home, they saw that there were soliders leaving the house, their blades stained with blood.  ''No!'' shouted Max, as he bolted inside his house.  There he saw his parents lying in a pool of blood.  They had managed to write two words:  Red Blade.  Max stared at the piece of paper.  Then he swore an oath:'' I swear that I will avenge my parents.  I swear that I will find out the meaning of the red blade.  I WILL avenge them. 

                                                       End of prologue, next chapter:  Time flows 5 years, and Max and Arai are both 13.  They decide the time is now to find out the truth about red blade, and they join the ninja acedemy and train.  There, they find out a deadly secret about Arai....                            Tune in next week, on saterday to read chapter 1