Arthur's victory over Utakata wasn't a mere display of power; it was a show of his skill and strategy.
The key to his triumph lay in his unique combination of abilities.
Sage Mode, a powerful transformation granting heightened senses, allowed him to predict Utakata's attacks with impeccable accuracy.
This precognition was further enhanced by his Tamashii, which enabled him to see the subtle shifts in Utakata's body, revealing the Jinchūriki's intentions before they even materialized.
But Arthur wasn't just gifted with exceptional perception. He wielded a truly unique arsenal—six extraordinary weapons, each with a specific purpose.
Witnessing him fight was like watching an athletic army veteran dance. He'd switch between all his weapons seamlessly, exploiting every weakness Utakata presented.
The Blunt Blade's devastating hammer and axe provided close-quarters dominance, exploiting Utakata's momentary openings.
The Long Blade had a wide range of flexibility due to its wires, allowing Arthur to make last-second decisions even while in mid-air.
Hiramekarei was like a sturdy shield, protecting him from Utakata's acidic assault. This also highlighted Arthur's tactical awareness.
The Executioner's Blade was able to unleash devastating attacks that were strong enough to sever the tails. Of course, Arthur had been embedding chakra into it.
Finally, the Boltswords, wielded with precise control, bore natural lightning chakra to neutralize the beast. They were his only weapons that were broken after the end.
Perhaps he could repair them, but it would take a lot of resources—something he didn't have at the moment.
The fight itself wasn't merely a victory; it was a turning point.
Arthur understood the importance of pushing his limits. The prior weeks had been grueling, dedicated to refining his skills even further.
He strived to perfect his Simian Sage Mode, extending its duration and allowing even greater control over his chakra. Weapon tactic drills had become a daily ritual, perfecting his form and his ability to switch between his unique blades.
Finally, he had focused on refining his chakra control, ensuring every attack unleashed the full potential of his diverse arsenal.
This focused training, combined with his already formidable skills, propelled him to this current level.
He wouldn't just be a respected shinobi; he'd become a legend, a figure whose name would inspire awe and even fear throughout the world.
That is, if he wanted to be famous. But he wasn't looking for fame, nor did he care for it. What he needed was to lay low for as long as possible.
Otherwise, the other players would find him, choosing to erase his character. And if they succeeded at that, he would die in real life.
In a remote location.
Arthur, in his Sage Mode, wasted no time. He retrieved the pre-prepared seal from his pouch and walked toward Utakata's unconscious form.
A few hours ago, after his chakra replenished, he teleported both himself and the Jinchūriki back to the spot where he had readied the ritual.
Placing the seal directly over Utakata's chest, he began weaving the hand signs necessary for activation.
'Tailed beast removal jutsu…'
The chakra flowed smoothly, despite never having used this technique before. As the final sign was completed, the symbols on the seal glowed crimson.
Arthur held his breath as the seal flared, tendrils of red light radiating toward the sky.
To his surprise, the extraction process went remarkably smoothly. Unlike other high-chakra-cost forbidden techniques, this one seemed almost effortless, requiring minimal control.
He reached out and touched the center of where he placed the seal on Utakata's chest. His fingers phased through it as if passing through water.
Then he felt something writhing within. With a swift movement, he grasped the formless entity, causing Utakata to wake up and scream!
His voice ripped through the stillness of the night. The seal continued to pulse red in response, momentarily threatening to overload.
But it didn't matter. Arthur maintained his control. More so, they were far out from civilization, on a part of an island where no one was around for hundreds of miles.
Utakata's scream turned bloodcurdling as the ethereal form of the Six-Tails, Saiken, was ripped free from his body. The energy skyrocketed to the sky, somersaulting in the air before solidifying into a giant oozing an unknown substance from its body.
The sheer size of the Tailed Beast was overwhelming. Towering over Arthur, Saiken's massive form was a grotesque amalgamation of a white slug.
This was the power Arthur had read about, witnessing firsthand for the first time. Unlike the sleek, streamlined form presented in the character selection screen of the game, Saiken was a monstrosity of white flesh.
Its slime gleamed under the moonlight, dripping and reeking of decay.
Several gaping maws lined its body, each one emitting a low growl that was enough to make grown men cry.
The raw power radiating from a Tailed Beast was almost palpable—a thick, oppressive aura that felt like a physical weight on his chest.
The primal instinct that emanated from Saiken was simply overwhelming—pure chakra—and Arthur couldn't fathom how anyone could have a Tailed Beast inside of them.
To become a Jinchūriki meant housing this kind of creature? It was a creature honed for destruction—a living weapon yearning to unleash its fury upon the world.
For characters to become hosts for one of these devils was impossible to believe.
Then Arthur's thoughts shifted to Naruto Uzumaki. If Saiken was the sixth strongest and the Nine-Tails was the second (first being the Ten-Tails), Naruto himself was truly a force to be reckoned with.
Curiously, Saiken's first action wasn't to attack Arthur. Instead, it turned its massive head and focused on Utakata's lifeless form.
A primal growl rumbled in its throat, filled with something akin to disgust.
Arthur, momentarily stunned, understood.
Like many Tailed Beasts, Saiken despised its Jinchūriki, trapped within the host's body for years, used as a weapon by shinobi.
Its initial instinct wasn't to fight its way to freedom but to eliminate the host that served as its prison.
This mirrored the story of the Nine-Tails and Kushina Uzumaki. The fox devil, upon its release, had also attempted to kill its host before Minato intervened.
Saiken opened its gaping maws, unleashing a torrent of noxious fumes. The acidic cloud engulfed Utakata's body, dissolving flesh and rock alike at an alarming rate.
Arthur watched as even the sturdy earth began to melt away.
It would have been profitable had the beast not done that, for he could have collected Utakata's bounty.
He wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
A dramatic battle between himself and the Tailed Beast? Perhaps a desperate plea from Utakata for his life? But the truth was far more horrifying.
This wasn't a noble warrior trapped within a man; it was a creature of pure destruction, and its initial target was its own Jinchūriki.
Saiken watched with detached amusement as the last vestiges of Utakata dissolved into a noxious puddle. It then let out a rumble, the sound vibrating through the earth.
Then, with a suddenness that startled Arthur, the giant Tailed Beast whipped its head around, focusing its face on the small figure standing on a nearby rock formation.
"Y'all think that was somethin' to watch?" Saiken's voice squealed out, unexpectedly high-pitched and laced with a thick Southern drawl.
Arthur blinked, momentarily speechless. Everything he'd read about Saiken spoke only of its destructive power and ferocious nature. Nowhere did it mention the peculiar dialect or surprising conversational tone.
Arthur kept his composure steady and asked, "Are you happy with what you just did?"
Saiken chuckled, causing a geyser of foul-smelling fluid to erupt from one of its many mouths, splattering harmlessly onto the ground below. The scene was enough to scare away an entire village.
"Happy? Me? Don't be ridiculous, kid. That vessel was nothin' but a cage. Now I'm free!"
Tis the end of all Jinchūriki that didn't have a proper bond with their Tailed Beast. While Saiken might have been written to help Utakata on many accounts, that didn't mean the beast liked him.
Arthur, seizing the opportunity, continued to put his plans into motion.
'Sage art: enhancing flattery…'
He pressed on with a carefully modulated voice, saying, "It wasn't my purpose to harm you, Saiken."
When Saiken heard its name, it paused and bellowed, "Whoa there, hold y'er horses! Not that I'm mad since you couldn't scratch me if ya tried, but 'Saiken?!' How'd ya know that?"
"I know about your creator," he continued, pushing out more Sage Chakra. "Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths. He believed that one day someone would come along and unite the Tailed Beasts, not for war but for peace."
A tremour ran through Saiken's massive form. The playful aggression had been replaced by a curious silence. It was clearly tense, not having expected this.
With every passing moment, however, Arthur could feel the edges of his Sage Mode begin to fray. He knew he had to secure Saiken's agreement quickly.
"The world is a cruel place, Saiken," he said, feigning sincerity. "Ninjas treat you and your kin as nothing more than weapons. Only by working together can we break free from this cycle of violence."
Saiken didn't respond, but its enormous body turned slowly. Yet, not fully.
Arthur had to say more and push his genjutsu further. So he announced, "Serve me, Saiken. Help me create a world where the power of the Tailed Beasts is used for good, not destruction."
A long, agonizing silence followed. Then, with a deafening rumble that echoed across the landscape, Saiken turned its massive body fully away from Arthur.
The genjutsu had taken hold!
His Sage Mode finally sputtered out, leaving him vulnerable. But it hadn't mattered. Saiken's will had changed.
"Alright, alright, settle down there," Saiken drawled, facing him again. "Ya seem like a persuasive fella. Ya got y'erself a deal. I believe in ya, so I'll stick around for a while, see what kind of world ya plan on buildin'."
Arthur sagged against the rock, his body exhausted from today's events. There was no denying how grand this occasion was.
He had done it. He had not only subdued the Six-Tails, but he had also, through a mix of strategic plays, gained a powerful ally.
Saiken lowered its giant head, surprisingly close to Arthur's small frame. He knew what it wanted—to be petted.
Arthur remained idle at first. This Tailed Beast was now his to take care of. But he still wouldn't underestimate it since, at the end of the day, it was still a devil.
He channeled a thin layer of chakra around his hand, ensuring a protective barrier between his skin and the creature's slime-covered body. Tentatively, he reached out and patted Saiken's massive head.
The Tailed Beast let out a contented rumble that shook the ground beneath them.
"Haha! I like your touch?" it said.
Arthur retracted his hand, maintaining his serious demeanour and said, "There's something you must do for me, Saiken."
The amusement vanished, replaced by a solemn attentiveness.
"Anything, kid… Ugh… Hey, what's y'er name again?"
Arthur, who explained things to Saiken earlier, had managed to sway the beast without even giving it his name. Telling him something to allude it wouldn't benefit him, so he revealed it.
"Arthur, aye?! Well, Arthur, ya just say the word."
"The other Tailed Beasts haven't been found yet," he explained, laying out his plan. "A task of mine is to locate them all. Some of them will likely be hostile and unwilling to cooperate."
"So, you're saying..." Saiken squealed. "I might have to fight my brothers and sisters?"
Arthur met the beast's gaze and said, "That's a possibility. But it wouldn't be for conquest. It would be to free them from the cycle of violence that has plagued them for so long."
Saiken pondered this for a moment. The notion of fighting its kin was jarring, unnatural. But Arthur's conviction struck a chord within the Tailed Beast.
"Alright, alright," it finally decided. "I'll fight. As long as you're safe, I'm in."
Arthur couldn't help but be impressed. Saiken's willingness to put aside his reservations for the sake of his goal demonstrated how loyal the beast had become.
"Good," he said. "Now, we need to form a summoning contract."
Saiken let out a surprised snort and said, "Summoning contract? You want to call on me whenever you need me?"
"That's right," he confirmed, summoning an empty scroll from his pouch. "With a contract, we can work together more efficiently. You'll be able to lend your power when needed, and I can ensure your safety."
Saiken considered this, its enormous head swaying back and forth. To it, Arthur was indeed a complex character.
The idea of being readily available seemed slightly strange, almost domestic. But the promise of safety—of not being used as a weapon—was a lure.
As such, it stretched out one of its long, slimy tentacles. It oozed a glowing turquoise substance at the tip, extending it towards Arthur.
He placed his hand, palm open, beneath the dripping essence. The sensation felt strange, like tingling electricity.
He gritted his teeth, enduring the momentary discomfort.
With his other hand, he unfurled the scroll. Using a brush dipped in Saiken's essence, he inscribed a summoning sigil onto its surface. As he finished the final stroke, a faint blue light emanated from the inscription.
He then channeled his chakra, performing the hand signs for a basic summoning technique. The scroll glowed brightly in response before suddenly curling up and vanishing in a puff of smoke.
To perform a summoning contract wasn't at all that difficult. To be fair, only one character in the Narutoverse had ever summoned a Tailed Beast without being a Jinchūriki—Madara Uchiha.
Arthur had always wondered how this was possible. Until he remembered the discrepancies in this world and that certain things, like summoning a Tailed Beast without the Sharingan were conceivable, he at least had to test it.
Of course, if it failed, he had other methods to call upon Saiken.
He watched intently as the smoke slowly cleared, revealing an empty space.
"I hope ya don't summon me to the desert," Saiken laughed.
Arthur ignored it to focus mentally. Then, a faint tingling sensation spread through his body, forming a connection between him and the Tailed Beast.
He concentrated further, picturing Saiken's massive form. After breaking that mental connection, it was undeniable that he could now summon the beast. Albeit, at the cost of an excessive amount of chakra.
The contract was a success.
Saiken, towering over him once again, rumbled a low, curious sound. It was clearly in need of attention.
Arthur addressed it directly in a firm voice, saying, "Before I leave, it's important you understand one thing. This land belongs to me."
Its massive head whipped around in surprise. Then it turned back to say in a high-pitched laugh: "Haha! A child owns this whole place? Now that's somethin' I ain't expect!"
Arthur ignored the praise and continued in a serious tone, "I'm telling you this because I don't want you causing any unnecessary trouble. Understand?"
The beast chuckled, practically causing his cells to vibrate.
"Trouble? Me? Nah, Arthur. I ain't here to stir up any dust. Besides, causing trouble ain't exactly my cup of tea anymore."
Arthur surveyed the desolate landscape surrounding them and said, "That's good to hear... This location… I picked it specifically for you. You'll be free to roam as you please."
He gestured around at the barren mountains and rocky terrain—a perfect dwelling for a giant slug.
"Because this land belongs to me, it will be officially closed off. No travelers, merchants, or solicitors will be allowed entry."
"So, you're givin' me my own private island, huh? Now that ain't half bad. As long as nobody comes botherin' me, I'll be happy as a clam."
Arthur nodded. This specific island was far from the main land. If the beast abided by the agreement, it wouldn't be disturbed.
"Just remember, Saiken," he warned. "Trouble won't find you if you don't go looking for it."
The Tailed Beast let out a low growl, a sound that could be interpreted as either agreement or annoyance. Arthur wasn't entirely sure which.
Either way, Saiken seemed content with the arrangement. With a final glance at the hulking slug, he turned and wished the beast well.
He still had a long journey ahead of him.
As he turned to walk a fair distance away, he considered things.
What he had told Saiken was that he was going after the rest of its brothers and sisters. Like the Akatsuki, he knew that to truly control the world, one needed a large abundance of chakra—enough that no one could stop.
And the only thing that carried enough chakra to fulfill his dreams of destroying this world was the Ten-Tails.
Long ago, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki split the Ten-Tails' chakra into nine entities, the Tailed Beasts, to maintain peace. Unfortunately, men viewed them as monsters and sought to harness their power for themselves.
This led to a cycle of hatred and conflict.
The Tailed Beasts were eventually sealed within hosts, now known as Jinchūriki. However, the Akatsuki sought to capture all the Tailed Beasts for their own nefarious purposes.
This led to the Jinchūriki's eventual sacrifice.
Despite their suffering, the Tailed Beasts eventually found a glimmer of hope in Naruto Uzumaki because the main character treated them with respect and compassion.
Naruto's determination to understand and protect them led to a bond of trust and friendship.
While the Tailed Beasts were once feared and hated, they eventually found peace and acceptance toward the end of the story.
Some, like the Nine-Tails and the Eight-Tails, chose to stay with their respective Jinchūriki, Naruto and Killer B, while others returned to roam the ninja world freely.
It's important to note that the Tailed Beasts are not mindless monsters but rather intelligent beings with their own personalities and emotions. This was evident in seeing how Saiken interacted with Arthur.
The list of Tailed Beasts are as follows:
Shukaku, a one-tailed Japanese raccoon dog with a sand-based ability; Matatabi, a two-tailed devil cat with fire-based abilities; Isobu, a three-tailed giant sea turtle with water-based abilities; Gokū, a four-armed, four-tailed monkey with fire, earth, and lava-based abilities; Kokuō, a five-tailed horse with steam-based abilities; Saiken, the six-tailed slug with acidic-based abilities; Chōmei, a seven-tailed insect with wind-based abilities; Gyūki, an eight-tailed giant octopus with ink-based abilities; Kurama, a nine-tailed fox with fire-based abilities; finally, the Ten-Tails, the original and most powerful Tailed Beast, were sealed within the moon.
How the Akatsuki were going to conquer the world was that they were going to revive the Ten-Tails by regenerating its form through the Gedo Statue, the husk of the Ten-Tails that remained after its chakra was separated from its body.
Only after several generations, when Madara first awakened the Rinnegan, was he able to break the seal and summon the statue down to earth.
But what did all this have to do with Arthur?
Simply put, he was going to hunt down the devils himself, without the Akatsuki's help.
And his next stop: the Three-Tails, Isobu!
Unlike Saiken, Isobu was known for its aggressive nature. Arthur wasn't positive if a friendly conversation and a summoning contract would suffice this time.
He would have to prepare for a fight.
After returning to Wizened Town, he spent several days preparing.
What he had managed to create this time around was another charm. It wasn't much to look at—a simple pendant carved from smooth wood, etched with swirls.
Yet within its unassuming form lay the culmination of days of research and experimentation.
This charm held the key to his plan of subduing the Three-Tails. It was infused with a portion of Saiken's chakra, extracted, and carefully balanced with Arthur's own.
The first four attempts had gone awry, resulting in either a useless trinket or an explosive mess that had left his hotel room smelling like burnt fish. But the fifth, thankfully, had been a success.
Those failures were a reminder of why he needed a laboratory in the first place.
Now that he had created the charm, he would use it to suppress the will of his most powerful reanimation he had, Minato Namikaze!
With this new charm, he could maintain control over Minato's immense power without needing to constantly resort to Sage Mode, significantly lessening the strain on his own chakra reserves.
After having already tested its potency, he set off for the Three-Tails.
His research had pinpointed its location—a remote, crater lake hidden within a desolate expanse of another island.
It wasn't the only largest lake in the country; in fact, there were two. But unlike its benign counterpart, the lake he was headed to remained eerily deserted, a forbidden zone that the country's officials prohibited others from entering.
This told Arthur everything he needed to know.
When he arrived, he found himself standing on a grassy hilltop. Using his Tamashii, he scanned the area.
Through his vast visual range, he confirmed the presence of a colossal chakra signature nestled deep within the murky depths of the lake—no doubt the Three-Tails slumbering peacefully.
'Summoning jutsu: reanimation…'
Arthur summoned Minato. The coffin emerged from the ground. Wasting no time, he retrieved the charm and pressed it into the back of Minato's skull.
A surge of chakra briefly flooded the area, a side effect of the charm interacting with Minato's reanimated body. Arthur countered it with a sequence of hand signs, easily suppressing Minato's reawakening consciousness.
Just like that, Minato had become a puppet once more. The only problem now was that Arthur had little to no chakra left.
But that hadn't mattered. Standing next to him was an unlimited supply of chakra. And not just from any ordinary character, but from the fourth Hokage himself!
To display how much dominance he held, Arthur channeled a surge of chakra into Minato. The body stiffened, and then the familiar golden aura of the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode engulfed Minato.
The Nine-Tails Chakra Mode is a powerful transformation accessible to those who have the Nine-Tails sealed within them.
Minato had acquired this form after sealing half of the Nine-Tails chakra within him before his death.
He was currently cloaked in a yellow, flame-like chakra, which significantly enhanced his physical abilities and granted him new capabilities.
His appearance had also changed, giving him distinctive markings and horns.
From what Arthur remembered, users in this mode gained increased strength, speed, and durability. The chakra cloak also acts as a protective barrier, shielding them from harm.
Additionally, they can manifest chakra arms for enhanced combat versatility, sense negative emotions, and even release a force that promotes growth in plants.
However, initially using this mode comes with risks. The Nine-Tails might attempt to drain the user's chakra, potentially leading to death.
Arthur didn't need to worry about this happening since Minato had an unlimited supply of chakra. No matter how much the Nine-Tails drained, it would remain in its cage.
Arthur caused a wave of the beasts' chakra to erupt from Minato, spreading outwards and disturbing the stillness of the lake.
Deep within the lake, a tremour ran through the water. Isobu, jolted from its slumber by the sudden burst of power, stirred in the murky depths. With sluggish movements, it began to rise, its massive form pushing aside the water as it surfaced.
Arthur stood tall, arms crossed, as he focused on gathering natural energy.
Just like he had done with Saiken, he planned to address Isobu directly, offering a similar deal: cooperation and freedom in exchange for its service.
However, as he waited for the behemoth to emerge, a jarring sensation prickled at the edges of his perception. It hadn't come from his Tamashii but from Minato's senses, which Arthur could feel.
Curiosity piqued, so he stopped his gathering and focused on probing the source. Whatever it was, it wasn't something his Tamashii could detect—it was a strange negative feeling.
He tried to find it, but he couldn't locate any chakra signatures except the Three-Tails'. Through Minato, a different sense alerted him—an emotional type of feeling being picked up by the reanimated body's Nine-Tails-enhanced senses.
It was a feeling of malice, of disbelief—a not-so-friendly emotion.
Arthur stopped trying to scan for chakra signatures and instead used his Tamashii to visually see physical forms. He focused on exactly where Minato's senses led him.
It was like trying to find a fly in a hurricane. But as he narrowed his senses, he saw two approaching figures walking side-by-side.
Arthur felt dreadful, for he recognized them all too well—Jasper and Alice!
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