章 158: Your Student
"Hoshikaze! Hoshikaze!" they roared.
They had come to witness a spectacle, and William's fall had only served to heighten their evaluation of Arthur's prowess.
William felt the weight of their adulations, and defeat tasted very bitter. He had not just lost a battle; he had lost a part of himself, and he feared he might never reclaim it.
It didn't matter that Arthur had claimed victory over him in front of so many—what stung was that the crowd had been ecstatic to witness it.
For they had always suspected him of cheating in earlier rounds, so it made it all worse.
Arthur stood, basking in the moment so as not to look suspicious. While the medics approached to lift William up from the ground, Naruto felt a great burden.
Arthur accepted the rewards—the check for one million ryō. This was ironic since the tournament he had orchestrated had culminated in a victory he had not planned to achieve.
Despite his nonchalant demeanour, he also accepted his own golden trophy. This was a victory of deep significance, one that would mark the name "Hoshikaze" in the annals of both this country and the neighbouring ones.
The announcer's voice carried through the arena one last time, declaring, "It was an honour to have you all here. We hope to see you again soon!"
With this final line, the tournament came to a close, and the crowd started to disperse. Their chatter was buoyed by the thrill of witnessing such a monumental showdown.
To think that this long event had lasted less than a day to complete. It was well worth Arthur's time.
He turned his gaze to the exit. He had fought valiantly against several worthy opponents, but the aftermath only proved how much harder he had to work.
Perhaps he was capable of defeating characters like C, an elite guard of the Raikage; all he showcased was that his taijutsu was better. Then there were Jinchūriki like Fū and Han. Arthur hadn't been given the chance to fight either of them.
Assuming those two were let loose and fought him with all their strength, it would be a very troubling encounter.
Arthur had only beaten one Jinchūriki, and that was due to his foreknowledge and well-planned tactics. Fū, on the other hand, was stronger due to the extra tails her Tailed Beast had.
As the citizens began to leave, Arthur felt an unexpected sense of discontent.
Some battles were never truly won, and perhaps William's own battle might not have been victorious. A player like him should have been ten times as strong as he claimed to be on paper.
Was he that much weaker than expected, or was Arthur that much stronger?
Perhaps both.
One thing was clear: the true fight, as both men would come to learn, was not simply in the arena but within their very souls, where determination, strategy, and growth awaited.
Arthur strode through the exit tunnel. The only thing that could be heard were the echoes of his footsteps.
Victory here felt strangely hollow.
As he retraced his steps from the arena, he considered the implications of his newfound title as Hoshikaze and the responsibilities that would come with it.
He had not sought the power, yet here he was, bearing recognition that might otherwise come back to bite him.
The less that knew of him, the better.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps behind him. He chose not to turn around, already knowing who had been daring to approach him.
He could hear the panting of that person, who had obviously run to catch up with him.
"Please… Mr. Hoshikaze, hear me out," a girl's voice said.
The voice, though shaky, carried a weight of urgency that compelled Arthur to pause. He half-turned, glancing over his shoulder to see who it was.
As she stepped further, he saw Jada.
She was panting, clearly exhausted from her sprint, her arms resting on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath.
Judging from her actions, she didn't seem to suspect him of anything.
He remembered their earlier encounter well. As much as her personality bothered him, he was interested to hear what she had to say now.
Once she regained her composure, she straightened up and said, "I'm sorry for being rude earlier. I really liked how you fought back there. I've never seen someone like you before. Please, if you will, take me up as your student!"
Arthur took a moment to scrutinize her expression, gauging her seriousness. What was the reason why she, of all players, someone with a Susanoo, wished to learn from him?
But he couldn't vocalize those concerns.
Her determination was apparent as she admitted, "Among my friends, I'm actually not the strongest. Even Will—I mean William—is stronger than me. Even though he's not the best at taijutsu, he has techniques I can't match yet. If I train with you, maybe I can become just as strong."
Now Arthur understood. He could see the sincerity in her eyes. She had a desire not to be left behind by her friends.
"I'm falling behind," she confessed, "and I don't want to be weak."
This was a tad strange because of how vulnerable she was acting right now. It made it almost too easy to prey on her susceptibility.
To further express her desire to be trained by him, she bowed.
"Stand straight, Uchiha," he responded, regaining a more authoritative tone, "and never bow down to me…"
The fear of inadequacy, of watching others grow stronger while feeling stagnant, was not something that pleased Arthur. It looked pathetic, especially for a girl like Jada, whose deadly side he had personally witnessed.
She complied, straightening herself and taking on a more assertive posture.
Arthur took a step closer and declared, "Being my student comes at a dangerous price. Do you think you can commit yourself to me?"
Jada nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, sir! I'm ready. I've always wanted to push myself to become stronger. I won't disappoint you."
"Will you abide by my rules?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Will you obey my commands?"
There was a moment of hesitation before she answered, "As long as it doesn't involve killing anyone, then yes."
"Very well…"
Arthur's acceptance caused her face to brighten. He could sense the changes this decision would bring, not just for her but for him as well.
"So when can we start?" she suddenly asked.
Her expectations were quite high, yet Arthur was not one to rush into things like these. There was something else he had to take care of first.
He turned away, heading deeper into the tunnel, and said, "You'll hear from me soon…"
"But how will you—"
Before she could finish her question, she restrained herself. A feeling deep within urged her to pause, sensing that his words wouldn't let her down.
Something told her that whenever he spoke and truly meant it, it would come to pass. So instead, she held her tongue, smothering her edginess and deciding to be patient for the next time they should meet.
As he walked away, he could still feel her gaze watching him. Whatever he had said or done during the tournament had clearly impressed her enough to make her wish to train with him.
There were times he could remember her always eager to learn and improve. After all, he was the initial reason she had awakened both her Sharingan and her Mangekyō Sharingan.
This time, he would make no mistakes.
He, of all people, knew she had the potential to grow strong—surely stronger than him if she honed her skills wisely.
He shook his head at the thought of things as he emerged from the tunnel's gloom.
Meanwhile, Jada stood rooted to the spot. She had always admired being an Uchiha—her clan was widely recognized for their prowess and unique abilities. Yet, there was something different about Arthur, something that moved her spirit.
Feeling happy, she straightened her posture, believing she had a chance to redefine herself. Regardless of how mysterious Arthur was, she was exhilarated by the possibilities.
"I wonder how long it'll take?" she said to herself.
If Arthur would not call upon her immediately, she would not remain idle. She needed to cement her foundation, build her skills, and become the student he would be proud of.
After a minute, Arthur stood alone, gazing down at the landscape that lay beneath him. He was now high above a hill overlooking the entire village.
It was a breathtaking view, yet the beauty of this world always felt hollow amidst the turmoil of being its prisoner.
The tournament had concluded, and while he stood victorious, his thoughts were formulating various plans and strategies for things to come. He had created Hoshikaze, a false character that could, more or less, help him in the long run.
Letting the cool mountain air envelop him, he closed his eyes.
What was he to do now?
He found himself at a crossroads, contemplating the events that had unfolded.
Jada's determination and desire to learn from him seemed more like an opening—an opportunity to exploit someone. And not just anyone, but a player.
If she possessed that level of ambition, perhaps she could be saved.
Had he chosen to deny her at that moment, would she not follow relentlessly, pestering him until he relented?
As much as he didn't want to think about it, his attention shifted toward larger concerns. He needed to maintain control over the narrative that had begun to unravel dangerously.
After all, Hiruzen, a character who should have remained dead, was still present. That event alone could send waves of instability throughout this world.
There was also a crucial factor that happened today, in which no one had expected: Naruto awakened his chakra mode three years in advance!
Such power, if unscathed, could transform the subtleties of the playing field.
If the characters began breaking free of their established limits, Arthur's own ambitions would soon come to an end. He could not allow them to ruin his carefully constructed goals.
To ensure their plans failed, he needed Sasuke to join up with Orochimaru. The very act would set off a chain of events, igniting the journey of Shippuden and thrusting the main characters onto a trail that could be manipulated to his advantage.
With Sasuke at Orochimaru's side, Arthur could orchestrate all the turmoil while the two strongest figures—Naruto and Sasuke—progressed into their own trials.
Doing so would divert attention, creating an opening for him to work unchallenged.
If he failed and Sasuke remained in the village with Naruto and the others, the two main characters would gather strength beyond comprehension. They would evolve into formidable beings, far beyond his ability to contend with.
Already, the thought conjured images of Arthur becoming a mere footnote—an antagonist outmatched by protagonists too mighty to be subdued.
Their destiny relied on his escape. He needed to seize control at all costs to prevent such a change.
But how?
The answer eluded him, but he understood that the Uchiha had to first be taken care of. Increasing his own connections would also help him gather a suitable network for things to come.
Whatever anyone thought his intentions were, no one was going to be alienated if they stood in his way. Be it Jada or anyone else, relationships would surely shift one way or another.
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