บท 46: A Practical Guide
"Here's how it happened," Alice continued. "Hiruzen personally requested Alex, Jasper, and me to join him and a few Anbu on a mission to locate Orochimaru's whereabouts in the Fire Country. It was quite the ordeal, and he trusted that since we had so much intel, he wanted us to come."
"How was it?"
"It was a fight of epic proportions!"
"And Orochimaru, finding Alex... That's how he gained the curse mark?"
Alice nodded and said, "Yep! You got it. Jasper tried to intervene, of course, but Alex stopped him. Said he was willing to accept the mark, much to our shock."
"Shocking indeed," Arthur said, thoughts churning.
This was even more disturbing than he had initially considered. Alex wasn't just accepting the curse mark; he was actively seeking its power for a bigger purpose.
But why? What desperate ambition drove him down this path?
"Upon returning to the village," Alice continued, "Alex explained his plan. He says he'll modify the curse mark and turn Orochimaru's power to his own advantage. Make it his own."
Arthur understood. Alex was scheming, attempting to cheat the system yet again.
Whether he would succeed or succumb to the curse mark's corrupting influence remained to be seen. But one thing was clear: Alex was playing a dangerous game, and it was a game that could have dire consequences for them all.
"A bold plan, but only time will tell if he can pull it off," Arthur forced himself to say.
The conversation drifted on, but Arthur's mind was elsewhere.
Alex's decision to embrace the curse mark had thrown a wrench into his already complex plan. He needed to adjust his strategy to account for this unexpected development.
Then there was Gaara's early rehabilitation. That would surely change the story's trajectory if Orochimaru's targeting of Alex wasn't a problem.
The battle for this world was becoming increasingly convoluted, with each player's own hidden agendas that threatened to tip the scales at any moment.
The conversation continued for a while longer, with Alice filling him in on the village gossip, the upcoming tournament, and the minor squabbles that seemed to erupt daily within the ninja ranks.
Arthur listened intently, gleaning tidbits of information here and there. But through it all, a gnawing suspicion grew within him. This wasn't the whole story.
Alice was holding something back—something significant.
He knew he needed to tread carefully. Pushing her too hard might raise suspicion.
Whether she trusted him or not didn't necessarily matter. It was the fact that he didn't trust her. Or any of the players, for that matter.
As Alice excused herself to clean the cup, Arthur hunched forward, his mind already formulating a plan.
With Alex harbouring the curse mark, the chances of Orochimaru launching a direct assault on the village seemed slim. If anything, that ninja would attack subtly, since Sasuke also bore the curse mark.
The rogue Sannin wouldn't abandon his investments.
Arthur needed a new approach, a way to exploit Alex's ambition and turn it against the very system he was trying to manipulate.
Once he finished his thoughts, he arose to bid farewell to Alice. A loud, boisterous voice suddenly pierced through the walls: "Hey, is anybody home?!"
Arthur would recognize that character's voice from anywhere. He opened the door to find Naruto Uzumaki. He was still wearing his signature orange jumpsuit.
A grin stretched across his face, wider than Arthur could ever remember seeing on the young ninja.
"Naruto," Arthur responded cautiously. "It's been a while... Come to think of it, this is our first time speaking to each other, isn't it?"
"Yup, just got back from my training with the Pervy Sage!" Naruto exclaimed, puffing out his chest. The "Pervy Sage" was Jiraiya. "And guess what?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, feigning disinterest as he asked, "What, Naruto?"
"I learned the Rasengan!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement.
Arthur's eyes narrowed. The Rasengan? So soon?
In the original timeline, Naruto struggled to learn that technique. Had William's tutelage accelerated his learning by that much?
This by no means impressed or surprised Arthur. It was an anticipated development that he had already considered in his loaded plans.
"The Rasengan?" Arthur repeated. "That's great, Naruto. Especially for someone who's trying to become the Hokage."
Naruto beamed and said, "Thanks, Arthur! Believe it!"
He then turned to Alice, who had emerged from her apartment doorway. Scratching the back of his head, he asked, "Hey Alice, have you seen my cousin anywhere?"
"No, Naruto," Alice replied, shaking her head. "But I'm sure he'll be back soon. He wouldn't miss the finals, would he?"
Naruto chuckled and said, "Nah, not a chance! Him and I've been training too hard for that. Anyway, gotta go find him. See you guys later!"
With a final wave, Naruto jumped off the railing, leaving Arthur and Alice standing in silence.
Alice's gaze flickered between Arthur and the direction Naruto had vanished in. Arthur could sense the unspoken question hanging.
"So," Alice finally began, whispering, "do you think he already knows about it?"
Arthur met her gaze and countered, "Know about what?"
"Not what," she corrected. "Who…"
Arthur immediately knew who she was referring to.
Sooner or later, William or one of the other players would spill the truth about the Nine-Tails to Naruto, revealing Kurama's name to him. And when that happened, Naruto would transform from an energetic underdog into one of the strongest NPCs in this game.
Arthur wouldn't allow that. He couldn't afford to be outmatched by a mere fictional program.
"I'm sure one day Will might tell him," Arthur finally answered.
Alice flinched at the mention of William being the one to reveal the truth and not another player.
Regardless of what she was planning, he had his own goals to meet. He turned to leave, waving nonchalantly.
By the time he was already walking along the village, Arthur heard Naruto's voice: "Wait!"
Naruto stood a few feet away, a hopeful smile plastered on his face. What could he possibly want now?
"Hey Arthur," he continued, placing his arm over his head. "I forgot to ask this. Since you're back and all, maybe we could all… you know…"
Arthur's heart almost froze. Train together? Help him grow stronger?
The very idea of training with this character in a world where everything felt and looked real was tempting to a fanatic.
But Arthur wasn't privy to Satan's devices. Plus, he wasn't willing to risk revealing his true abilities until he was ready.
"Maybe another time, Naruto," he said, forcing a smile. "I have some catching up to do. But have fun with the finals. Show everyone what you've learned."
Disappointment crossed Naruto's face, but he nodded enthusiastically and said, "Gee... I was really hoping to practice with you. Fine. Ya owe me one!"
Arthur watched Naruto disappear down the street, his gaze lingering on the retreating figure.
'One day, Naruto... I'll rip your throat out.'
There was still about a week before the finals—a week for Arthur to hone his skills and gain an edge over his opponents.
He needed a boost—something beyond what he'd been training for. He needed knowledge.
He recalled a certain area in the Leaf Village that was never really expanded on—the Science Building. It wasn't his area of expertise, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Arthur found a secluded area before activating his Tamashii to confirm he wasn't being followed. No stranger to espionage, he disguised his chakra and cloaked himself in a shroud of smoke, his body dissolving into wispy tendrils that drifted through the village rooftops.
He navigated the streets from high above with ease, his form remaining invisible to prying eyes.
When he arrived at the Leaf's Science Building, he measured how many characters were inside. It was sparsely populated with mostly eccentric inventors and their assistants.
This suited his purpose perfectly.
He slipped through a ventilation shaft, moving cautiously inside. His senses were on high alert for any disturbances.
The air here was sterile, mixed with the scent of chemicals and burnt parchment.
Finally, he reached a dimly lit room, its shelves filled with scrolls and leather-bound tomes. Here, he could possibly find what he was looking for.
So he reformed himself to scan the shelves, his eyes quickly finding a section dedicated to seals and enchantments. He skimmed the titles, locating something of use.
There, tucked between a dusty treatise on chakra conductors and a worn manual on ripped tags, were the answers he craved: "Charm Creation for Beginners" and "Talismans: A Practical Guide by Takahashi, Akito."
He settled onto a creaking stool, concealing himself within a swirling vortex of smoke, and poured over the manuals. His mind was mesmerized by the intricate symbols, the precise material requirements, and the meticulous rituals involved in crafting charms and talismans.
The rest of the evening was spent immersed in this hard-to-find knowledge, the words filling him with a sense of possibility.
The information, although well organized, was primarily geared towards basic protection and enhancement. Charms for fortification and talismans for sealing augmentations—the possibilities seemed endless.
But he needed something more, something that could tip the scales decisively in his favour.
As dawn approached, Arthur finished the reading, finally emerging from his smoky shroud. He softly closed the books, having filled his mind with a new understanding of how this world functioned.
He had a week left, so he needed to be quick to put his newfound knowledge to the test. But without a doubt, it wouldn't be a walk in the park.
But as long as Arthur was willing, he would always be many steps ahead of everyone. That's simply who he was: an old, faithful soul that wouldn't be tread on lightly.
Night had fallen.
The other players likely knew of his return and were likely waiting for him, eager to hear about what he'd learned. But Arthur had nothing to offer them but a web of carefully crafted tales.
He slipped out of the Science Building, his smokey body cloaking him from curious eyes.
As he navigated the deserted streets, he reformed himself without anyone around. Afterwards, he activated his Tamashii to verify if anyone was at Alice's apartment.
To his surprise, no one was there. Neither were any of the men in their respective homes. Whatever they were doing—training, going for a stroll—it left him with a window of opportunity.
A plan began to take shape. He needed supplies—specific and carefully selected materials, as mentioned in what he read earlier.
But why was Arthur so eager to learn about something as straightforward as charm creation?
Some time ago, when he was learning how to perform the flying raijin, he also learned how to execute another dangerous, morally questionable technique that was deemed too dangerous for mainstream teaching—Reanimation!
The Reanimation technique is a jutsu that allows a user to bind the soul of a deceased person to a living vessel, restoring them to their state at the moment of their death.
To perform the technique, the user must acquire DNA from the person they wish to reanimate and use it on a special scroll. The soul of the reanimated must not have been sealed away, and a living sacrifice is required for said soul to be used as a vessel.
The technique can be used to reanimate multiple people at once, and the user can control the actions of the reanimated souls by using a special talisman.
The user can choose from two levels of control: one that allows the reanimated soul to retain its personality and free will, or one that suppresses its personality and allows for complete control over its actions.
The level of control determines how much freedom the reanimated soul has to make decisions and act on its own. The user can also choose to rejuvenate the reanimated body, restoring its physical appearance and abilities.
One of the benefits of the Reanimation technique is that it grants immortal bodies to those who are reanimated.
Any damage they receive will regenerate over time, and they can continue fighting without being limited by their physical body. Additionally, the reanimated bodies have access to limitless chakra reserves, allowing them to fight indefinitely without running out of energy.
However, there are also some drawbacks to this deadly technique.
For example, it requires a significant amount of chakra to perform, and it can be difficult to control the actions of the reanimated souls.
Additionally, there is a risk that the reanimated souls may not be able to achieve their full potential or may be limited by their physical abilities.
To release the Reanimation technique, the user must perform a specific sequence of hand signs before uttering the release phrase.
Alternatively, the user can trick the reanimated soul into breaking free from its bindings through genjutsu or emotional manipulation. If successful, the reanimated body will disintegrate back into dust, leaving behind only a sacrifice's corpse.
This technique was so unprecedented that one character, Kabuto, managed to not only help start but also maintain an entire war with it.
If Arthur could perfect this technique, he would be unstoppable.
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