Yo. Wanna hear my story? First, Let me introduce my self..name Riku. twenty years old, technically an adult, though I still don't feel like one. I rent a small apartment, live alone, and have somehow mastered the art of looking responsible while surviving mostly on instant ramen, leftover curry, and way too much caffeine.
My parents? They live far away. They're well-off enough that every month they send me more money than I realistically need. If I wanted, I could just coast through life playing video games and ordering takeout every night. A dream, right?
But here's the catch: doing absolutely nothing is boring as hell. Which is why I pick up part-time jobs "for fun." Stocking shelves at a convenience store, serving coffee, handing out flyers—you name it, I've probably tried it. It's not about the money, it's just something to make me feel less like a parasite..yeah i'm weird..
And when I'm not pretending to be a functioning member of society? I'm usually online, watching anime, reading manga, or scrolling forums filled with people arguing about fictional ninja. Yes, I'm that guy...
But today? It just got even weirder...
———
Riku's shift at the convenience store had ended at four that afternoon. After a half-hearted dinner and a long shower, he ended up in his usual place—slouched in his desk chair, laptop glowing on the small table beside a half-empty soda can.
The clock read 11:56 PM. Peak internet time.
He cracked his knuckles and muttered, "Alright, what kind of nonsense are we cooking tonight?"
A few clicks later, he was deep in a Naruto forum. The place was buzzing with the usual blend of genuine discussion and unhinged conspiracy theories. One user claimed Kakashi was an alien. Another insisted Tenten was the real final boss. And then there was a thousand-word essay about how Naruto's ramen obsession was secretly Kurama manipulating his appetite.
Riku snorted. People really got time to analyze fictional digestive systems.
Still, it was comforting. No matter how insane the theories got, the community's passion never faded.
Then something caught his eye—a banner ad at the bottom of the forum.
It wasn't flashy. No neon letters, no questionable anime girls. Just a plain black rectangle with white text:
"Every anime. Free. No ads. Watch now."
Riku narrowed his eyes. "That sounds like the opening line of a scam. Next thing you know, I'm on some government watchlist."
But the simplicity of it was… unnerving. Almost like it didn't care if people clicked.
Worst case, my laptop catches fire. Best case, free anime. Worth it.
He clicked.
The site looked ancient—like it had been made when flip phones were cutting-edge. Grey background, plain text, no images except a massive alphabetical list of anime titles. No login, no subscriptions, no ads. Just… anime.
"…Okay, either I just sold my soul, or I found the holy grail," Riku muttered, leaning closer.
He scrolled through the list—Bleach, One Piece, Fairy Tail—before stopping at the obvious choice.
"Naruto," he said. "Can't go wrong with the classic."
Episode 1 loaded instantly. No buffering, no ads. Just perfect quality video.
"…Yup. Definitely cursed."
But nostalgia overruled caution. He leaned back, cracked open another soda, and hit play.
Young Naruto appeared on screen, up to his usual trouble—spray-painting the Hokage monument like a menace. Riku couldn't help but laugh.
"Man, you really were a brat from day one."
The episode rolled on: Naruto tied up by villagers, Iruka scolding him, Mizuki lurking in the shadows. Riku knew it all by heart. Still, there was something comforting about revisiting it.
Halfway through, Naruto yelled at the villagers, "One day, I'll be Hokage! You'll see!"
Riku sipped his coffee and muttered, "Yeah, sure. With grades like yours? Good luck, kid."
It was supposed to be a throwaway comment. Just him talking to himself.
But then Naruto froze.
On screen, the blonde stopped mid-shout, his head turning slightly. His blue eyes flicked around, suspicious. Then, slowly, he looked straight ahead.
Straight at Riku.
"…Huh?" Riku blinked.
Naruto's brows furrowed. "Who the hell said that?!"
Riku nearly dropped his mug. Coffee sloshed dangerously close to the rim. "…Wait. What?"
Naruto scanned the scene, fists clenched. "Come out if you dare!"
Riku sat there in stunned silence, heart pounding. "…I don't remember this scene. Is this… filler?"
Naruto's head snapped back toward the "camera." His eyes narrowed. "What the hell is 'filler' supposed to mean?!"
Riku choked. Coffee sprayed out of his mouth as he coughed violently, nearly toppling his chair. "PFFFTTT—C-COUGH—WHAT THE ACTUAL FU—You can hear me?!"
Naruto glared at him. "Huh? Of course I can, dumbass. I have ears."
Riku froze, half coughing, half gaping at the screen. "…Huh?"
Naruto crossed his arms, annoyed. "Now quit hiding and come out already!"
Riku slammed his mug down, wide-eyed. "HUH??????"
Both of them stared at each other, equally confused, equally frustrated.
To be continued…