章 38: Orangi
Arthur donned a jacket, pulling the hood low to obscure his features. A small satchel, containing essential provisions and a stack of research scrolls, rested on his pants.
Using the Smoke technique, his form dissolved into a swirling cloud of grey mist. He flew high above, emerging on the village's outskirts.
He continued his journey on foot, under the cloak of darkness.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted towards how the next arc was written.
The Chūnin Exams final arc consisted of a month-long training period for the remaining Genin after the preliminary rounds.
During this time, Naruto met Jiraiya, who became his teacher and significantly improved his skills. There were also sinister events unfolding as Gaara attempted to assassinate Lee.
The proctor, Hayate, was also murdered after learning about the Sand Village's betrayal.
The final matches were set with Naruto vs. Neji as the first fight. Not only had Naruto won, he had also changed Neji's view on destiny.
The second match, Sasuke vs. Gaara, was highly anticipated but delayed due to Sasuke's absence.
Other matches included Shino winning by default and Shikamaru strategically defeating Temari but then quitting due to laziness.
Finally, Sasuke and Gaara's fight began, displaying Sasuke's new speed and technique, the Chidori—a highly concentrated lightning technique that shrouded the user's hand.
However, the long-awaited battle was interrupted by a smoke bomb and the start of the Leaf's invasion. Assuming Orochimaru's attack doesn't happen, every sequence within the invasion arc won't happen.
Arthur was a skilled fighter, yes, but compared to the other participants, he was weak. Not the weakest, perhaps, but certainly far from the strongest.
He possessed a broad knowledge of various techniques from countless hours of refined training, but actual combat experience was a different creature. The ability to overwhelm a tough opponent with one's might alone—this was an element he lacked.
He emerged from the forest into a vast, moonlit clearing. A mountain was ahead of him.
He had a destination in mind: a secluded location far from the Leaf Village, a place he himself wasn't aware of its exact location.
Drawing blood from his thumbs, he performed the correct hand signs—boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram. He then pressed his palm on the ground, causing an intricate seal to appear.
A puff of smoke enveloped him, obscuring his form from view. Then, with a blinding flash of light, the smoke faded away, leaving nothing but an empty space where he once stood.
Disoriented, Arthur opened his eyes, shifting his eyes to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings.
He could see the first rays of dawn through the thick canopy leaves. The acrid scent of earth and decaying vegetation filled his nostrils. The air was humid, and the sounds of unseen insects could be heard.
A cascading waterfall roared nearby, drowning out the chirping of early birds and the rustling of leaves. Towering trees, their branches thick with foliage, formed a dense canopy overhead, casting shadows across the grass.
Taking a moment to understand this splendid scenery, he verified that he was no longer in the Fire Country.
This haven was far different from the land he was used to. The trees were more saturated, and the sounds were livelier.
But where exactly was he, and what technique had he performed to arrive in this foreign land?
The Summoning technique, as he understood it, wasn't limited to those with pre-existing contracts. A skilled ninja could perform the technique without a pact, but the outcome was far from guaranteed.
Instead of summoning a specific creature to a designated location, the user without a contract would be transported to the summoning realm they possessed the strongest affinity for.
In this vast and diverse world, these creatures reside in hidden realms, bringing them into the ninja world to fight alongside their summoners. These realms are still a mystery.
While the exact number of these realms remains unknown, the series hints at a vast network, potentially housing hundreds of different animal species with unique abilities.
Only a select few of these realms have ever been explicitly mentioned: Mt. Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest—Margaret having already visited the latter.
The existence of these three realms highlights the variety within the summoning jutsu.
Imagine towering bears with earth-shattering punches residing in a volcanic region or a colony of intelligent crows wielding powerful tools within a hidden city.
The possibilities are vast, limited only by Elysium's imagination.
Arthur, with no established contract, could be in any one of those populated environments. And who's to say the animals wouldn't be hostile?
He had taken a big risk being reversed summoned here—wherever here was.
Arthur settled on a moss-covered rock, considering the realm he was in.
There were no caverns nearby, nor were there any indications of serpents. Ryūchi Cave was eliminated from the list of places.
Perhaps this could have been Shikkotsu Forest, a place never truly shown. But the chances of him sharing the same animal affinity with another player were low.
No player shared the same character, so it was safe to believe they were each diverse, including their summoning animals.
Considering this was a jungle, it would be safe to think he was Mt. Myōboku. Out of all the characters to be given toads as a summon, William or Jasper had the highest chances.
Arthur ruled out My. Myōboku.
That left the remaining animals: elephants, primates, canines, felines, crows, eagles, hawks, bats, chameleons and other reptiles, turtles and other sea creatures, centipedes and other insects, moles, spiders, oxen, pandas, and rhinos!
As Arthur continued to think about where he was, his answer came.
Perched on a low-hanging branch, no more than a few feet away, was a large ape-like creature. Its orange fur shone in the sunlight, and its intelligent eyes regarded Arthur with curiosity.
It wasn't a monkey, not a chimpanzee, but an orangutan, a creature native to the real world but not commonly seen in the Naruto universe.
The orangutan, perched on the branch, continued to appraise him with its gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment as the creature tilted its head ninety degrees.
Resorting to random outbursts or threats wouldn't get him anywhere. So he decided on the simple approach: "Can you talk?"
The orangutan remained silent, its expression unreadable. Perhaps Arthur wasn't in the realm of primates after all.
The silence continued. Just as Arthur was about to leave, the orangutan tilted its head in the opposite direction.
Its appearance looked comical, given its bulky frame. The orangutan then emitted a series of guttural sounds, including a low rumble that vibrated through Arthur's chest.
Though he couldn't decipher the meaning, it felt less like a threat and more like a question.
"Lost, are we?" the creature screeched. Arthur blinked as its orange eyes locked onto him. "This ain't exactly a place for sightseers."
The ape spoke. Anyone familiar with this world would, by no means, be surprised. Arthur continued to be cautious, asking, "Why didn't you talk when I asked you the first time?"
The orangutan cocked its head, its expression resembling a comical smile. It answered, "What? So I have to speak in your tongue, but you can't speak in mine? Ha-hah-hah!"
Arthur relaxed himself further and said, "I'm looking for your elder."
The orangutan's smile widened as he said, "Elder? What would a little boy learn about our elder?"
Arthur truly hadn't known whether this realm had an elder or not; he was only asking to narrow his suspicions.
So he adjusted his approach, explaining, "You seem to misunderstand... I'm more than just a little boy."
"More than just a little boy?!" The orangutan repeated.
Arthur shook his head slightly and chose his words carefully, saying, "To you, this will sound strange, but I'm no ordinary visitor. I come with a message of utmost importance. A prophecy, if you will."
"Prophecies, huh?" the orangutan snorted, making a sound similar to laughter. "And I'm misunderstanding this... Huh?!"
Despite his predicament, Arthur remained stoic. The creature's skepticism of monkey see, monkey do felt strangely familiar.
"Pay close attention," he said. "This prophecy concerns your entire race. It's a matter of grave danger."
The orangutan's playful demeanor remained as it jumped down to greet him. Arthur was moved to a height of eight feet.
It studied him, eying him down from head to toe. with newfound seriousness. It then looked away, pondering the situation. Then it looked back at him, making the same eying gesture.
"You're pretty small to be a prophet, don't ya think? Haha-ha!"
Most people would be intimidated by the size and sharp teeth constantly bearing on them, but Arthur was calm. He asked the ape what its name was.
In a show of bravado, the orangutan flexed its arms as if dazzling lights and stars were behind it, saying, "I am the mighty Ooka-Ooka of Cayman Jungle!" It then pulled out a pair of sunglasses for a dramatic effect. "But my friends call me Orangi."
Arthur had never heard of such a creature. Neither had ever read about a place called the Cayman Jungles. But now he was certain: this was the secret realm of primates.
"You can call me Alex…"
"Alright, little Alex," Ooka-Ooka rumbled. "You've piqued my curiosity. This 'grave danger,' spit it out."
Arthur didn't hesitate. He immediately found a way to convey the urgency without raising unnecessary questions.
"A great darkness threatens to consume your balance... Your way of life, this beautiful jungle you call home, is at risk."
The orangutan remained frozen for a moment until it rolled on the floor to laugh, pounding its fist so hard that the ground slightly quaked.
"Great darkness! Aha-hah! Home's at risk! Bwa-ha-ha!"
Getting a peak at Arthur's unmoved expression, it stopped to ponder him a little. Fingers resting on its chin, it said, "You're serious?"
"Yes…"
"Alright, little Alex, the prophet. You've convinced me. I'll take you to our elder to see if you're telling the truth or not."
'Does the elder have a means of detecting lies?' Arthur thought to himself.
It would be plausible to believe that the toad elder at Mt. Myōboku, Gamamaru, had the power of prophecy.
"I mean, I could use the extra laugh!"
Arthur thanked Ooka-Ooka, asking what the elder's name was.
"Aren't you a prophet? Shouldn't you know? Hahaha-ha!" The orangutan quickly relaxed once it saw that Arthur didn't respond. "Gee, Alex. Learn to take a joke. Our elder's name is 'Elder Pepé'."
Ooka-Ooka scratched himself, stating that the elder was not so friendly but had the wisdom of the ancient trees.
"Follow me, Alex."
Arthur followed the orangutan deeper into the jungle, the foliage brushing against his jacket.
The creature moved with surprising agility, swinging from branch to branch with ease. As they journeyed deeper, the air grew thicker, and the sounds of the jungle gradually faded.
Half an hour later, Arthur began to get annoyed.
Ooka-Ooka had brought him back to what looked suspiciously like the very spot where they started. The towering trees and the smell of decaying leaves were all the same.
"Orangi," he called out in a firm voice. "Stop… You're leading us in circles."
With a loud whoosh, Ooka-Ooka swung down from a nearby branch, plastering a mischievous grin on his face.
"Gotcha!" he erupted in a fit of laughter that shook the leaves overhead. "You may be a prophet, but when it comes to jungle navigation, you're as lost as a baby slug!"
Arthur felt the anger building up in his chest. Calming himself, he conceded, "Alright, alright... You win. You're a natural one."
Ooka-Ooka puffed out his chest, his laughter subsiding into a series of satisfied grunts.
"Don't worry, little Alex. I wouldn't lead you astray. This little test was just to see if you could keep up with me. And guess what?!" it paused. "You passed with flying colours!"
While the explanation put his mind at ease, he was livid that his time was being wasted.
"I'd appreciate it that you not play any more tricks on me, Orangi."
Ooka-Ooka pounded his fist against his chest like a drumbeat, saying, "No more tricks, little Alex the prophet! Now, let's get you to Elder Pepé. He doesn't expect visitors… Great time for me to bother him."
Ooka-Ooka launched himself into the canopy, with Arthur scrambling close by.
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