Chapter 28: My Warning
The liability form was a cynical joke, preventing Anko and the Leaf Village from being held accountable for any deaths.
Arthur signed it. His teammates, the two seasoned Genins who clearly thought less of him due to his age, mumbled something about staying together, a strategy he had no intention of following.
Teams were then distributed scrolls. The scroll his team received was a black one. Finally, his team was ushered towards their designated gate—Gate 30.
"Get ready!" Anko's voice yelled through the clearing. "Let the second stage of the Exams… begin!"
The sound of her voice was the starting pistol.
Arthur didn't waste a single breath. Ignoring the desperate shouts of his teammates to wait, he launched himself forward with a burst of speed, leaving them behind in a cloud of dust.
It wasn't about forming bonds or proving teamwork to his expendable companions—it was about confronting the true threat lurking within the forest.
As he hurtled through the undergrowth, he activated Tamashii. The dense foliage seemed to melt away, revealing a variety of chakra signatures within the forest.
Among them, he identified Orochimaru. Arthur wasn't going to leave the Sannin unchecked.
With one hand sign, he performed the transformation technique. His body took on the appearance of a middle-aged ninja with a weathered face and a scar running down his cheek.
He then cloaked himself in the familiar dark robes of the Sound Village, sporting the purple rope around his waist.
The final layer of the disguise came in the form of chakra manipulation. He carefully masked his own signature using the Chakra Disguise technique, replacing it with that of an animal's.
Now, he wasn't just disguised as a Sound Village ninja; he wouldn't be caught if something went wrong, so he believed.
His enhanced vision led him unerringly towards Orochimaru's location. Even amidst the thick canopy, the Sannin's powerful aura stood out like a beacon.
As he approached, he saw Orochimaru—disguised as Shiore—flanked by two imposing figures, likely Sound ninjas.
Orochimaru seemed to hear his presence. He turned, his eyes piercing through the foliage, before landing on Arthur. The two Sound ninjas tensed, their hands reaching for their weapons. But Orochimaru held up a hand before they could attack.
"Isn't this…" Orochimaru's said with a grin, "amusing. It seems someone is here to greet us."
Arthur stepped forward, careful to keep a respectful distance. He pointed a finger towards the headband adorning his forehead, the same symbol that adorned a Sound ninja.
In a gruff tone, he said, "I need to talk to you…"
Orochimaru's smirk widened. This unexpected encounter was clearly intriguing to him. So he tilted his head and said, "Interesting. And what brings a Sound ninja to my gathering?"
Arthur knew he had to tread carefully. He also knew that Orochimaru wasn't aware of the ninjas following him. One wrong move, one misplaced word, and the facade would crumble.
"I saw some commotion," he replied, using a neutral tone. "There's something troubling about the Exams."
"Exam?" Orochimaru chuckled. "This little contest is of no concern to us."
"Perhaps not, but like I said, I need to talk to you."
The weight of responsibility settled on Arthur's shoulders. He had Orochimaru's full attention, but the Sannin's amusement said otherwise. He had to act fast.
Using Tamashii, the clearing around them shimmered, distorting reality.
In the fabricated scene, Orochimaru and his fabricated counterparts were engaged in a heated physical exchange. The illusion then expanded, encompassing the hidden Leaf ninjas positioned around them.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, watching as the fabricated ninja impersonating him clashed with his own reflection. Confusion showed on his face, quickly replaced by a hint of delight.
This unexpected turn of events was undeniably entertaining. But the fun was short-lived.
The fabricated scene shifted once more. The Leaf ninjas, alerted to the supposed battle, surged forward, rushing past Orochimaru and Arthur's actual locations.
The illusion, so vivid it felt almost real, fooled them completely. Orochimaru's surprise morphed into something closer to disbelief.
This was the decisive moment.
"They're onto you, Orochimaru," he said in a calm and steady voice.
Orochimaru spun around, his gaze locking on Arthur. The amusement was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating stare. He growled, "Explain yourself!"
Arthur met his gaze unflinchingly and revealed, "Hiruzen knows. He was warned about your… undisclosed arrival at the Chūnin Exams."
There was a moment of silence to let Orochimaru understand that his presence was no longer a secret. The Sannin's eyes narrowed further. But before he could make any accusations, he wanted to test Arthur.
"And what of it?" he sneered.
Arthur pressed on, saying, "They know your interest in Sasuke Uchiha. His Sharingan, to be precise."
The revelation struck a nerve. Orochimaru's façade faded, replaced by an evident frustration in his expression. The element of surprise, a vital piece of his plan, was gone.
Arthur wasn't finished yet. So he continued, saying, "There's a traitor in your midst. Someone within the Sound Village. Someone who doesn't want you to get your hands on Sasuke."
Orochimaru studied him with intensity. This ninja, whoever he was, seemed to possess a troubling amount of knowledge. A strange sense of pleasure bubbled within him as he said, "You find yourself in a risky position... Do you truly believe my plans can be derailed so easily?"
Arthur shrugged, remaining emotionless while countering, "They can if you don't adjust them... You want to give Sasuke your curse mark, don't you?" Orochimaru got quiet. "Then wait… Wait until the last moment. Hide in the shadows until you find an opportunity. Fighting your way through the Chūnin Exams to Sasuke will only cause those guarding him to stop you."
The logic was undeniable. Attacking Sasuke now, with the Leaf ninjas likely on high alert, would be a fool's errand. Arthur's proposition—a delayed curse mark placement—presented a viable, less risky alternative.
But Orochimaru sensed a hidden motive. So he asked, "Why are you telling me all this? Do you really expect me to believe that you're from the Sound?"
"Let's just say I have my reasons," Arthur replied with an ambiguous tone. "All I ask is that you follow my advice. Wait for the opportune moment. The Sharingan could be yours if you only listen."
Orochimaru stared at him, weighing his words. There was something about him—an aura of mystery that intrigued the Sannin. He was clearly more than he appeared; perhaps someone was trying to pull strings from the shadows.
Surely, that was Orochimaru's thing!
Finally, a slow smile spread across the Sannin's face. Amused even further, he agreed, saying, "How interesting. We'll see how this little game plays out. But be warned... If I ever find out who you are, you will surely regret it…!"
Arthur responded by turning around. But the moment he did, he felt the monstrous sensation of a serpent about to devour him. Orochimaru swiped at his torso with a kunai, only to see his figure fade in the wind. It was an illusion—the same illusion cast prior!
Leaves swirled around the Sound ninjas, rising to the sky. Their faces showed a shocked expression as the air was filled with Arthur's voice, echoing: "You'd best heed my warning... Orochimaru…"
Hours into the jungle's night, Arthur considered that recent encounter.
Orochimaru, a Sannin, would have surely broken his Genjutsu had he noticed that he was also trapped inside it. But for now, Arthur hoped that he had managed to nudge Orochimaru's plans in a favourable direction.
As Arthur stayed stationary, he thought to himself, 'What would true Naruto fans do in this situation?'
The answer was clear—protect the objective.
Orochimaru's expendable force, his Sound team, was the biggest threat to the narrative's integrity. Those teams were Team Dosu and Team Kabuto.
Team Dosu was a trio of Genin from the Sound Village secretly working for Orochimaru. They signed up for the Exams with the mission to both test Sasuke Uchiha's abilities and eliminate him.
Led by Dosu Kinuta, the team utilized sound-based techniques due to Orochimaru's modifications. Though they failed to kill Sasuke in the original story and ultimately became expendable in Orochimaru's schemes, Dosu met his demise by Gaara, while Kin and Zaku were sacrificed during the invasion.
As for Team Kabuto, unlike Team Dosu, they focused solely on gathering intel on Sasuke.
Disguised as Leaf Genin, this team consisted of Kabuto, the leader who excelled at his mission but mysteriously withdrew before the fights, Yoroi Akadō, who lost to Sasuke in the first round, and Misumi Tsurugi, who also met defeat in his preliminary match.
Their unnamed Jōnin made scattered appearances throughout the series, but their fates remained unclear.
Arthur's mind wandered to Team 7.
He knew Team Dosu would likely attack Team 7, regardless of whether Sasuke received the curse mark or not. The players, with their knowledge of the plot, would undoubtedly seek out Team Dosu to prevent the confrontation, or perhaps they'd stick by Team 7, anticipating the attack.
The uncertainty was a wrinkle in his otherwise meticulous plan. But Arthur pushed it aside. There were bigger fish to fry.
He needed to find his team and ensure they secured a scroll. Finding them was easier said than done—the forest seemed to swallow any sense of direction.
Finally, after hours of searching, he stumbled upon them bickering amongst themselves in a small clearing.
"There he is!" a disgruntled voice bellowed. "Where have you been? Running from your responsibilities?" It was the older, burly member of his team, his face flushed with annoyance.
Arthur ignored the man's tirade, his focus solely on the objective. So he asked in a calm and collected tone, "Do you have the scroll?"
They grumbled and hurled accusations at him. Apparently, they'd been ambushed by a strange kid, a blonde-haired girl, and an overweight child. The description worked perfectly for only one team—Team 10.
Arthur's jaw clenched in frustration, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. Losing the scroll meant that the Forest of Death stage was over for them.
Internally, he simmered.
Team 10, despite looking seemingly harmless, were formidable ninjas, especially with Shikamaru, the proclaimed genius. Team 10 obtaining scrolls this early was a significant deviation from the narrative.
This unforeseen wrinkle threatened the entire story's trajectory, something Arthur would expand on to prevent the other players from having their way.
His stomach churned with frustration until it settled into a cold resolve. His teammates were bickering at him, treating him as if he were a child, and stating that it was his fault they lost the scroll.
He was Arthur Bennett, a player in this game with his own agenda.
"Alright," he said, his voice betraying none of his anger.
"Alright what?!" one of the men growled.
"You things have been annoying me for a while. The objective of the second stage is simple: survive and acquire a scroll. But it's clearly become a burden you seem incapable of carrying."
"You dare talk to us that—"
Before the man could finish, Arthur lunged. A kunai flashed in his hand, arcing through the air. The older, burlier teammate, caught off guard, crumpled to the ground with a choked gasp, blood blossoming into a stain on his chest.
The other teammate froze, his eyes wide with terror. He stammered, "What... what are you doing?!"
Arthur met his gaze and said, "Eliminating liabilities... A team is a weakness—an anchor that weighs you down. I work alone."
Before he could react, Arthur moved with fluidity. He tripped the man and grabbed him by his ankles while he was still in the air. Spinning rapidly, he then threw him into a tree.
"Argh!"
The man's scream cut through the clearing, a desperate sound that no one else could hear.
"Monster!" he spat.
Another swift movement, another flash of steel, and the scream died into a choking moan.
Then, silence.
Arthur surveyed the scene, ensuring there were no witnesses. It wasn't the first time he'd taken an NPC's life, and it wouldn't be his last.
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