Chương 45: Return
After a week, a bond grew between them.
They communicated through a combination of gestures and expressions that seemed to develop between them.
One evening, as they sat around a crackling campfire, Arthur looked at Koko and said, "One day, you might help me destroy this world…"
The chimp tilted its head, unable to understand what he meant.
"This world is plagued with evil ninjas," Arthur continued. "Those who cannot fathom what's real and what's not are but mere… hurdles in my path."
Koko made a soft clicking sound, seemingly sensing the turmoil within him. Reaching out, it plucked a red fruit from the nearby vine and carefully dropped it into Arthur's lap.
Arthur reached out and picked it up.
"Thank you, Koko," he murmured. But he could never give a genuine smile. A simple gesture and the silent understanding between them were more than enough.
He gazed back at the crackling fire to confess, "But there's more… There's a darkness in this world, Koko. A darkness I need to eliminate to break free of my bondage."
Koko let out a low whine, a sound of concern echoing through the night. She then hopped to try and comfort Arthur. He reached out and gently scratched behind her ear.
"You can't understand now, but you will," he softly said.
The next few hours were spent recounting the events leading up to his descent onto this path.
He spoke of the lying girl, the wicked Leaf shinobi, his false imprisonment, and the other players. He also confessed the brutal actions he had taken in an attempt to justify the means.
Koko listened intently, her large eyes never leaving his face. As he spoke, it made him angrier.
He wouldn't hide. He wouldn't run from anyone. He would seek redemption until he broke free from Elysium's hold.
Some time later.
Arthur pushed himself to his limits again. His training sessions were grueling workouts designed to rehone his strength, speed, and agility.
He wasn't just pushing himself physically; he was pushing himself mentally, challenging himself to better use Simian Sage Mode.
When he wasn't doing that, he shared his knowledge of ninjutsu with Koko, teaching her the basic hand signs and the principles of chakra flow. She was still very young, but there was no harm in absorbing information early.
Finally, the time came to return to the Leaf Village. But first, he needed to secure Koko's development.
He wouldn't take the loyal chimp on a perilous journey filled with uncertainty. He was responsible for ensuring its safety and continued growth.
Leading Koko towards her rebuilt village with a variety of salvaged supplies, Arthur instructed her to live here without him for the time being.
Koko, sensing his purpose, let out a low whine. It didn't want to be left behind, not after the bond they had forged. Arthur kneeled before it, his hand gently stroking Koko's head.
"I cannot take you with me, Koko," he explained. "This path I walk on will be fraught with danger. Powerful enemies lurk on it, and I wouldn't risk your safety."
Koko whined again, this time wrapping its small arms around Arthur's neck in a plea to stay.
"You'll be safe here," he continued, unmoved. "This village is yours, a place you can call home. And when the time is right, I'll come for you."
Koko's intelligent eyes searched his face, seemingly trying to decipher the truth in his words. With a soft sigh, it released its hold and shed tears.
Arthur had already reinforced the village's defenses, creating traps and alarms to deter any potential threats. He also left behind a stockpile of supplies, enough to last Koko for months to come.
Together, they walked to the Royal Registry. This was one of the few buildings left intact during the massacre.
There, he found a large scroll—the summoning contract. Unfurling it, Hiruzen's full name was already written in his own blood. It was the only one, to Arthur's surprise.
There was only one thing left to do. Arthur cut himself to draw out some blood. Then he wrote his name next to Hiruzen's, completing the ritual to summon Koko from this realm.
"Time to move," he said, closing the scroll.
He then left toward the chalice with Koko, hanging around his neck.
"Train hard, Koko," he commanded. "Grow strong, and never forget to hone your dormant skills. The day will come when we fight side-by-side, but until then, you must remain here. Promise me you'll do this."
Koko, seemingly sensing the finality in his voice, let out a low whine. It didn't want him to leave, but it also understood the weight of his mission.
It reached out, its small hand gently touching Arthur's cheek.
Arthur reached the chalice, allowing her to descend. With a final glance at Koko, he turned towards the cold lava.
As he approached it, he heard a whisper: "Good bye, daddy."
Stepping into the chalice, a wave of heat and light covered his vision. When it subsided, Arthur found himself standing in the familiar forest, the scent of pine and damp soil filling his nostrils.
He was back, near the Leaf Village, but his journey towards dominance had only barely begun.
Arthur eventually returned to the Leaf Village. Its bustling streets felt a tad unfamiliar after living in the foliage of the Cayman Jungles. The snatched conversations and usual chatter indicated that nothing had changed since his departure.
This was surprising since Orochimaru's plan had been revealed.
He reached his old apartment building. A dilapidated piece of paper was tucked under his door. It was a note, scrawled in familiar handwriting—Alice's.
He carefully peeled the note out and read it.
'Arthur! Would love to hear about your training! Come visit immediately when you're back. Alice.'
Why would she, of all the players, be interested in what Arthur was doing? Or was this a test of sorts, a way to gauge his aims?
He couldn't ignore the message. Alice might be his best bet at gathering some information. He needed to know what had transpired since his departure and the current changes that had unfolded within the game.
He plastered a smile on his face and made his way toward her apartment.
Their tall building hadn't been altered in the slightest. He made his way up the elevator before pausing by her door. With a knock, he announced his presence.
The door swung open.
Standing before him was Alice, clad in a strange tunic, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Her eyes widened in surprise as she gasped, "Arthur, you're finally back!"
"Alice!" he said with theatrical excitement. "Good to see you... Saw your note, so you're actually the first person I'm checking on."
Alice's gaze swept over him with a cocky smile, scrutinizing and searching for something he couldn't quite decipher.
Finally, she stepped aside, allowing him to enter.
"Well, come in, come in!" she said gleefully. "It's good to see you alive."
He walked inside, the familiar scent of their apartment filling his scenes. The inside remained unchanged—the couches and expensive appliances. It was a snapshot of what only wealthy citizens could afford.
Arthur settled onto the couch as Alice busied herself with making tea.
"So, tell me everything!" she chirped with enthusiasm. "What amazing adventures have you been on? How much stronger have you become?"
Arthur revealed only a little truth, plaiting a narrative of an average challenge with only some experiences gained. He embellished details, playing the role of a regular shinobi doing menial labour.
Alice returned to the living room, a steaming mug of tea cradled in her hands.
"Here you go," she said, handing him the mug. "Chamomile. Helps with nerves, they say."
Arthur accepted the tea. He took a slow sip and said, "Much appreciated."
Alice settled onto the couch next to him with a considerable distance remaining. Her gaze seemed to drift out the window, clearly bored after hearing how his journey had gone.
Arthur didn't mind. As long as she believed his tale, he could maintain the element of surprise.
"So," she began, "tell me more about this training mission. Did you encounter any interesting creatures? Any near-death experiences?"
Arthur launched minor details of monotonous pushups and failed taijutsu growth. There was hardly any detailed description of his walk in the Cayman Jungles or the fact that he caused primates to become endangered.
Alice listened politely, nodding at appropriate intervals, but her interest seemed to wane with each fantastical flourish.
"Wow," she finally said when he finished. "That sounds... intense." The lack of conviction in her voice was evident, but Arthur chose to ignore it.
"It was," he agreed. "But a warrior perseveres, wouldn't you say?"
Alice offered a tight smile to change the subject, saying, "Of course... I'll let you in on what you've missed while you've been away."
This was the information he craved. Arthur leaned in, feigning interest.
"Well," she began, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "Margaret's been spending a lot of time with Jada. They seem as thick as thieves lately—practically inseparable. Apparently, they're both pretty confident for their upcoming match in the finals."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. Margaret and Jada? That was an expected duo.
If he recalled correctly, Margaret was to face Hinata, and Jada was to face Alice in the finals. He knew Margaret possessed immense chakra reserves, but Jada, while skilled, wasn't known for her raw power.
Perhaps they were training in secret.
"Really?" he said, pretending to be surprised. "Interesting. Any word on Will?"
"Will returned from a mission behind all our backs recently," Alice replied. "A crazy mission, believe it or not. Without telling anyone, he went to rehabilitate Gaara with Naruto. And guess what? He succeeded! Without a single fight, no less. Everyone's quite surprised."
Arthur's hand tightened around his teacup. William? Successfully rehabilitating Gaara? He scoffed internally. There was only one explanation: Naruto's infamous "talk-no-jutsu."
It was a naïve strategy, but one that often yielded unforeseen results.
"That's… unexpected," he managed to say, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Alice nodded and said, "Indeed. Now, where were we? Oh, right, catching you up. Jasper and I have just been focusing on our training. We haven't been on any missions lately."
Her words rang hollow.
Arthur knew Jasper's insatiable ambition well. The man wouldn't be caught dead "just focusing on training" for weeks on end. There was something more to the story—something she wasn't telling him.
He decided to play along for now.
"Ah, yes," he said, nodding sagely. "Training is always important, even for players like yourselves." He finished by taking another sip of tea, knowing those two were hiding something.
"And what about Alex?" he asked as he swirled the remaining tea in his mug.
"Oh, Alex," she said, a tad amused. "He's gotten himself quite the… souvenir since you last saw him."
"What do you mean by that?"
Alice's smirk widened as she said, "Oh, come now, Arthur. Don't play coy?"
He gritted his teeth, acting natural, and said, "Honestly, Alice. I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. Some exciting new training technique, perhaps?"
"Training technique, huh? More like a permanent enhancement." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Alex received the curse mark from Orochimaru…"
The news was surprising, to say the least. Alex, with the curse mark? Arthur hadn't anticipated this.
"Shocking, right?" she continued, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of apprehension and fascination. "We were all speechless when he showed us those nasty black markings on his neck."
"Speechless, huh?" Arthur repeated.
"Well, not entirely speechless. Margaret nearly launched herself at Alex the moment she saw it. Oh! And Alex was content with it, if you can believe that."
Arthur's mind was racing. Alex willingly accepting the curse mark? It defied logic. Was Orochimaru truly targeting him? Or was there something else at play?
Relaxed, he said, "I'll admit, it's unexpected news... All of it. But why are you acting so playful about the curse mark?"
Alice's face brightened as she said, "Exactly! That's what Will asked too. Alex claims that the curse mark can be changed without repercussions."
'That's not possible,' Arthur thought, lips twitching at the audacious claim. 'Or is it...'
Even if such a thing were possible, it would require immense control and understanding of sealing techniques and forbidden techniques!
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