As hours passed in the confines of deliberation, the discussions became talks of reports covering multiple aspects of governance and security.
Arthur remained at the forefront, listening to vital information from the council. Most of what he heard, however, was already known.
Occasional prying questions about his whereabouts were mentioned, to which he carefully answered so as not to give himself away.
This caused the council members to refrain from pressing too hard, having witnessed how things had already turned out.
"They wish to know where you were during your disappearance," Hiromu finally commented as the meeting began to wind down.
It was truly a mystery to most of them, but Arthur was not going to yield.
"Let them speculate," he shrugged, no longer interested. "It's of no concern to me. We have more pressing issues to worry about."
Finally, after several hours of strategic planning and assessing the potential dangers, the meeting concluded. As the council members began to rise, he remained in his seat to mull over things.
Outside, the sun began to set.
Distant conversations erased the formalities as officials retreated to their respective quarters.
Arthur finally stood up and walked toward the window, his mind adrift in the currents of the past, reflecting on his journey since he first arrived in this world.
It was a journey stitched together by faith, vulnerability, and a courageous heart.
It was as if each experience had burned itself into his soul, forging him anew through trials that tested both his spirit and purpose.
Truly, it felt surreal to be in this place—a realm where everything was designed for conflict, adventure, and challenges that tested the very essence of his character.
The journey started with him merely intrigued by the virtual realms, unsure of his significance amidst the grand narrative. But with every revelation, with every battle fought, he forged a stern belief in his place in this world.
His thoughts drifted to the moment he had awakened in the forest to when he was unjustifiably sent to prison.
Then he remembered his first clash with the second main character, Sasuke Uchiha. That fight had only emphasized the continuous threads connecting past battles to later encounters.
He had faced obstacles, but with every challenge, he found more than just survival—he found purpose.
No matter how vibrant things looked—the colors of the leaves, the authentic narration, and the emotional responses from every creature here—it only served as a reminder to him that he was very much alive, even if part of his existence felt like a dream veiled in digital layers.
Many months had passed since he first entered this realm through Elysium's experiment. Because of that, he felt as if he had undergone not just a physical transformation but a spiritual one as well.
He had arrived here blinded by ignorance. Now he was resolute, steeled by experience, and sharpened by the threats that sought to purge his existence.
The adventures he faced since that fateful day of the lottery had morphed him into the bold warrior he needed to become.
It didn't matter who they were—the Akatsuki's plotting, Orochimaru's insidious machinations, or the constant web of deception among the players—all of it compelled him to adapt, to survive.
And he understood that the keys to success lay not in this world's power or skill but in the belief in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
He closed his eyes to recall recent events. All he could hear were the gentle cadences of hymns, the foundation provided by his parents, and the teachings that had shaped him into the man he was today.
But what did it mean to be a hero? To wield strength and protect others?
Yet if those with real blood coursing through their veins didn't want to be protected or were too blinded to see their predicament, then there was no need to become a hero of the world.
He was in a place filled with an amalgamation of bright colors, vivid battles, and characters that leaped from the pages of a long-forgotten story. The last thing he wanted to be was the hero of this world, the trusted champion of those who crossed him.
What he needed to do was transcend self-interest.
Settling into the moment, his thoughts traversed back to the experiences and choices that had defined his journey thus far.
He remembered the day he discovered the tangible power of chakra. Unlike those before him, he acquired it while in a cold, dark prison cell while he was bound by chains—a feat hardly anyone accomplished.
As he navigated the virtual world, he honed his ability to manipulate this energy—a reflection of both his inner strength and the external obstacles that shaped him.
But the truth of his journey had revealed something pivotal: whether one was a hero or a villain depended heavily on perspective.
Arthur, at the end of the day, was a villain in this world.
The transition from simply being a participant to someone who could rival even those regarded as prodigies had marked a turning point.
Like that time he deflected Sasuke's Chidori—which only a few could do. Then there was the moment he slaughtered Kiba Inuzuka, a well-loved character in this world.
Those were just one of many accolades he had accomplished. And regardless of what Arthur did, he never retreated out of fear.
He was technically alone in this world, having no allies.
Jada had a hopeful spirit, yet she and Arthur had different views. Margaret was a challenge in her own right due to her literal hotheadedness. Then there was Jasper, whose arrogance sparked irritation.
What about William and Alice? The latter was a tad precarious with unknown motivations. Whoever she was, there was no denying her prowess as a woman wrestling with him. As for William, he seemed to be a lost cause until things began to stir.
But the strangest one of them all was Alexander. He was undoubtedly part of this experiment, gaining who knows what sort of perks and privileges.
Did he even know if Arthur was alive? Or did he perhaps care for Arthur's well-being?
Regardless, if neither of them was for Arthur, then they were against him.
As he stood in the office, he found clarity in knowing that every interaction added chapters to his evolving story. Friends or foes—each one he met would help his fate in ways he couldn't predict.
It was that same faith that had guided him through adversity, offering clarity during moments shrouded in doubt.
Perhaps he was miles away from the end; he remained hopeful.
Remnants from what the Akatsuki had done here were still evident. It would be foolish to assume that the threats they posed had dissipated. Because of it, Arthur knew he would need to establish himself and possibly form certain alliances to confront them.
He turned his thoughts inwardly, recalling the prophecy delivered by the pastor in his dream. The trail of fate had brought him here, capable of navigating through both alliances and opposition.
This was where his journey was—not as a solitary figure caught in fate's grip, but as a player in a collective story written by the choices made along the way.
What greater trial could he face? There was much.
To help him further clarify things, he vanished from the office building and appeared in a lone forest, far from anyone. He then ventured deeper into the forest, opting for solitude.
When he found a brook, he released his transformation to verify his identity. Even though he was still young, like he was twelve or thirteen, his replaced eyes reflected who he was inside—Arthur Bennett.
Uncertainty usually made people paranoid. But he was different because he stuck to one route.
He wasn't just emerging as a survivor but as someone who could bring about change—not for himself but for those whose lives intertwined with his in intricate ways.
The trees parted, revealing a narrow footpath leading toward open land filled with perfectly measured grass and a few craters that had formed into hilltops. This was where he had fought Jada.
The land had recovered for the most part, but it was the scene that unfolded here that felt as if it had happened yesterday.
As he walked, he shifted his focus from her to a mindset geared toward opportunity and awareness. He had survived treachery; he would try to survive everything else, too.
Not even in this world could doubt seep into his heart. He was resolute, brazen, and steadfast in his beliefs. They could try to break him, but he would just stand right back up, fully intact.
That was his strength—a strength rooted in the convictions that came from his childhood teachings.
His memories returned to those evenings tucked within the warmth of his home, where he listened to hymns sung by his mother and father. Those notes had been more than melodies; they were like arrows, guiding him back to faith when temptation came.
Christ had been a constant presence, pushing him forward, even in the darker corners of this digital realm.
Through the trials of wandering this world, his faith was one of his greatest weapons. Every battle fought wasn't about skill; it was about decisions influenced by that faith. He could feel God's design throughout the victories and defeats, shaping him with every choice he made.
He had lost allies along the way—some choices borne from misunderstanding, others from unprecedented betrayal.
Regardless of whether they were rich like Jasper, knowledgeable like William, or simply bred like Alexander, he had fought through his encounters, reflections of complexities that he learned to navigate quite well.
Those moments allowed him to play his part in crafting his route.
But how exactly did things turn out this way? Through the conflict that ensued in the Hidden Leaf Village, it was there where he had been recognized as a fear that could either paralyze or inspire others.
There were many he inspired, yet even his adversaries were also part of this grand narrative. Like him, they had their narratives, their own motivations, but Arthur was relentless in finding redemption even amid the darkness.
In this world governed by chakra, an energy source essential for combat, he noted his own persona. His journey to perfecting control over this energy had borne much fruit; he was no longer that helpless player trapped in prison.
"The helpless call to him, and he answers," Arthur recited from Psalms 34: 6-8, "he saves them from all their troubles."
With that, he stepped forward, ready to embrace the next challenge, the next entry on the battlefield. Things were wide open before him—dangerous, yes, but filled with possibilities that beckoned him forth.
Nothing could dampen his spirit; he would upend expectations. He would change the very fabric of existence and prove that man did not need to be bound to their sin when they followed Christ.
With an invigorated spirit, Arthur's heart pounded. He was poised at the brink of yet another telling legacy, one that intertwined heroism with the complexity of true experience. The enemies he would face and the allies he would forge were only fragments of a larger tale—a story of redemption, belief, and the ever-revolving battles amidst darkness.
And as he entered a new chapter of his journey, he vowed to make it a story worth telling.
He would not shy away from danger; he would walk through the fire, trusting in the providence that had guided him thus far—and with that certainty, continue forging his mark on the world before him.
And maybe, just maybe, as he continued, the conversations about him would spark a light within this dark, digital realm, all while embodying the lessons learned from faith.
Thus began the next part of Arthur's extraordinary journey, illuminated by courage and belief—a saga of strength against temptation, whose impact could go far beyond this world.