Ninja do exist. There are those whose sole purpose in life is to attain titles and status. People have been wrongly influenced to believe that the title of "ninja" is also a rank. It is not. Th word means, roughly translated, "one whose spirit and skill are sharp as the edge of a blade." However, the status they seek only has weight in the eyes of others of their "own kind," whose credentials and purpose are equally as dubious. I no longer claim any rank or participation in that world, though there are a number of my students, enemies, and the envious who would tell you otherwise. Many of the training techniques or beliefs expressed in this book are based upon actual conduct that the author has witnessed or participated in, or both. So the story you are about to read is based upon fact, but fictional. It is based upon years of personal experience with those who call themselves or covet the title of ninja but the characters and the story are made up. The reason for this statement become evident as the story unfolds. I don't want to re-insert myself into that secret life, with all too real dangers and no perceivable benefits. The ninja-ka (students of the ninja practices) have taken up posts in every walk of life, on every corner of the globe. Their actions are both secret and overly public (whichever strategy serves their purpose). This dichotomy has fueled a controversy about authenticity. Some established martial artists are constantly angered by the mere mention of the word Ninja, and waste energy seeking to prove that the ninja of old have completely died out or that current ninja are fakes. I do not dispute either position. My contention is that the controversy itself aids the modern day ninja, inadvertently, by allowing him (or her) an atmosphere of uncertainty and mystery in which to expand and strengthen. Whether a person is calling themself ninja (or any other unregulated title) because they were trained by an ancient master or merely are following the principles which spawned the myths--now being spouted by an egomaniacal lunatic with good martial arts skills--is immaterial. As long as there is mystery, then there will be those who claim to be ninja and those who actually are ninja.
