The fire crackled merrily as he reviewed the other players.
William: strong, possessing the Rasengan. But Arthur had seen his uncoordinated movements firsthand. The man was a powerhouse in terms of strength but lacked the finesse of a true combatant.
Margaret: cunning and resourceful, with chakra-enhanced strength and an impressive regenerative ability. However, her taijutsu skills were lacking. Against an opponent like Sakura, she should have dominated, yet the fight had been prolonged. She wasn't built for close-quarters combat.
Alice: sweet and kind, but seemingly the weakest link. While she possessed excellent chakra control and a knack for throwing weapons, her overall skillset appeared limited—almost obsolete for this world's standards.
Alexander: an enigma, a walking cheat code. Not only did he wield the Byakugan, but his overall skill surpassed everyone else. Arthur suspected Alex harbored secrets deeper than anyone else.
Jasper: Unruly and power-hungry. What Arthur didn't like about his tactics was that he was doing it out in the open. He reminded Arthur of a young Sasuke, or perhaps a Vegeta, consumed by a desire for strength. Him awakening the Tenseigan wouldn't be a surprise, considering his character.
Jada: her Sharingan was incredible to witness first-hand, but the true threat lay in her ninjutsu. It dwarfed the others in destructive power. However, Arthur sensed her instability—a lack of control over her immense potential.
Lastly, Naruto: one of many other anomalies. Unlike the other NPCs, Naruto seemed to be evolving at an alarming rate, with his taijutsu growing noticeably stronger. Something was different about him that Arthur couldn't quite place.
It was like Naruto knew of the Nine-Tails' existence!
From what Arthur recalled, the main character wouldn't interact with the Nine-Tails until around this time. Even then, the two had a hate-love relationship. In exchange for escaping its seal, the Nine-Tails offered the boy its chakra, seeping him into emotional turmoil.
Say that William, a fan of the series, decided to spoil the main character early and tell Naruto everything. That would spiral the entire story out of synch. More so, Naruto would become a powerhouse NPC.
Arthur scoffed at the idea.
He recognized their strengths and weaknesses. They each had their purpose in this game—both players and NPCs. And whether they honed their skills or not, Arthur would always be ten steps ahead of them.
William's brute force without strategy, Margaret's reliance on visceral strength, Jasper's lust for power, Alice's apparent weakness—these were all ingredients for chaos.
Only Alex, with his Byakugan, and Jada, with her Sharingan, seemed to pose a real threat.
The latter could be an ally, but hearing Jada forget that they were in a simulation made Arthur think otherwise.
No matter what, he had to succeed in these challenges. Not just for his own sake, but for the sake of those who are sharing his fate. Perhaps not all of them were bad. But if they got in his way, he wouldn't avert a catastrophic brawl that would dictate who the mightiest player truly was.
All Arthur desired was to return home.
The last sliver of sunlight past the horizon. There was something he needed answers to before continuing to his next goal, and the primates' Royal Registry seemed like the best place to find them.
Arthur activated his Tamashii, and the world around him grew sharper. There were no signs of any activity nearby. So he judged it safe to move.
With a swift leap, he navigated the terrain, his senses heightened. Reaching the edge of the city, he surveyed his surroundings. The Royal Registry was in his vision.
Infiltration had become his specialty.
Using his smoke form technique, he waited patiently to see if any passersby would sense his presence. After a while, he phased through the city and into the wooden walls of their building, drifting through the interior, his Tamashii scanning every corner.
The room was empty. Rows upon rows of scrolls still lined the walls, each labeled and stored on wooden shelves.
No guards, no prying eyes. He could take his time searching for any information that might shed light on this realm.
Activating the chakra disguise technique, he disengaged his smoke form and materialized in front of a bookshelf.
He traced his fingers along the spines of the scrolls, whose titles were mostly indecipherable. He needed a starting point, a keyword to guide him.
Elder Pepé was an obvious choice.
Scanning the room, he found a single scroll different from the others and pulled it down towards him.
Unfurling the scroll, he read the strange symbols. It seemed to be a historical record, detailing the creation of the Cayman Jungle and the arrival of the first primate inhabitants.
As he delved deeper, he found the story invigorating.
The scroll mentioned Elder Pepé, his role as the protector and guardian of the jungle, and most importantly, the construction of his sacred hot spring.
The writing spoke of the hot spring's mystical properties, its source being that of natural energy, which helped sustain the jungle's ecosystem.
Arthur immediately understood. Could this source be linked to Sage Mode? Undoubtedly, this "natural energy" was housed within the hot spring.
This new information drastically changed things.
He continued reading about the properties of the hot spring. There was much more to learn, but time was of the essence.
He carefully re-rolled the scroll, placing it back on its shelf, hoping his presence wouldn't be detected.
Arthur activated his smoke form, then phased back through the wall. He retraced his steps through the village, eventually emerging back at his campsite.
Arthur relaxed onto his bed of leaves to think of a new strategy.
His primary focus was Elder Pepé's hot spring. The scrolls had confirmed his suspicions that Sage Mode could be learned in the Cayman Jungles.
But there was a catch. While he understood that he could get stronger, learning Sage Mode was not an easy feat. Each Sage Mode was different, and the one in this realm didn't provide any specific instructions on how to harness its natural energy.
While Sage Mode grants the user enhanced strength, speed, and sensory abilities, perfecting it requires immense chakra control and physical fortitude.
The core principle involves balancing three types of energy: physical, spiritual, and natural energy gathered from the surrounding environment. This balance is achieved by staying perfectly still, allowing natural energy to passively enter the body.
Taking in too little renders the technique ineffective, while taking in too much has dire consequences. In the worst-case scenario, excess natural energy can turn the user into stone permanently or even transform them into the animal associated with their training ground.
At Mount Myōboku, the toads have a special tool that can expel excess energy to prevent petrification.
At Ryūchi Cave, the training method is more direct; the White Snake Sage injects the user with natural energy. Of course, the user must possess a strong enough body to withstand the injection or face being devoured by the snake.
While remaining motionless is crucial for gathering natural energy, it leaves the user vulnerable in combat.
To circumvent this weakness, various methods have been developed.
One involves the "Sage Art: Amphibian" technique, where toads assist the user in gathering natural energy while the user remains mobile—Jiraiya's method.
Another method employs shadow clones, which gather natural energy and then transfer it to the original upon dispelling—Naruto's method.
Other techniques include harnessing the abilities of Tailed Beasts to accelerate the energy-gathering process.
If there was one primate that knew how to effectively teach Arthur this realm's use of gathering natural energy, it would have to be Elder Pepé.
This was quite frustrating to think about.
He had the location and confirmation—everything pointed to the hot spring being the key. But without any guidance on how to access and utilize the natural energy, it was just a thermal bath.
He needed a plan, a way to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
With one set, his destination was clear: the mountaintop, Elder Pepé's domain.
The journey felt shorter this time.
As he neared the familiar peak, he deactivated his smoke form, reappearing on the rocky ledge overlooking the steaming hot spring below. The steam from the water's surface created a hazy curtain that obscured the spring's depths.
He had no way of knowing if Elder Pepé was even present, but he had to try.
Descending to the ground, he cupped his hands and beat on his chest. But it wasn't an ordinary beat; it was the same as what he remembered Ooka-Ooka doing a few days ago.
The sound reverberated through the valley, bouncing off the rocks. A moment passed, filled with the gurgle of the hot spring. Then, a low rumble could be heard and felt from the depths of the mountain.
The ground trembled slightly, and a ripple of movement disturbed the surface of the water. Slowly, a colossal head emerged from the steam: Elder Pepé, his large eyes fixed on Arthur, towered over the ledge.
"Who is here at this hour?!" boomed Elder Pepé.
Arthur had a feeling this visit wouldn't be quite as hospitable as the last.
"Elder Pepé," he called out respectfully. "I return seeking your affirmation."
"You," he grumbled, "the one who I sent to Enma."
"Yes, Elder Pepé. I inquire your counsel."
The giant macaque snorted, a plume of steam erupting from his nostrils as he asked, "What brings you here alone?" His gaze sharpened, and he scrutinized Arthur intently. "Where are my brethren? Did you not meet with Enma as I instructed?"
Arthur shook his head and said, "I did, but his wife has other plans. Why I'm here now has nothing to do with them. What I seek is knowledge, Elder Pepé. Knowledge that might help me protect those around me."
Elder Pepé raised an eyebrow, a feat that seemed physically impossible on his massive head.
"Protect from what?"
Arthur couldn't risk hesitating, but at the same time, he couldn't reveal too much information. So he chose his words carefully and said, "From outsiders, much like how I explained before... Those who might come seeking to exploit the jungle's resources."
Elder Pepé rumbled thoughtfully, the sound vibrating through the rock, saying, "The jungle can take care of itself. It always has."
Arthur pressed on to counter, "Outsiders like the Ōtsutsuki have powers that you've never seen before. Powers that could disrupt the natural balance."
The giant macaque fell silent. After what felt like a long moment, he let out a deep sigh and said, "You speak of balance... That is one thing men rarely understand. Always seeking to take or exploit. Never willing to live in harmony with nature."
Arthur nodded, saying, "That's why I need you, Elder. I need to learn how to harness the power of this jungle, to fight for protection."
That's when Elder Pepé's eyes beamed as he asked in a low rumble, "You seek... Simian Sage Mode?"
Arthur had never heard of such a Sage Mode. The knowledge he needed seemed readily available, but at what cost?
"If that's what it takes…" he admitted.
Elder Pepé regarded Arthur for another long moment before speaking.
"Not even Enma has perfected Simian Sage Mode... It is a powerful and dangerous technique. One wrong step, and you will be consumed by the natural energy." His giant head was then eye-level with Arthur's. "Till you are in our likeness."
Arthur knew the risks. He'd seen what happened when characters like Jūgo couldn't control their transformations. But Arthur had no fears.
"I understand the risks, Elder Pepé. I need to be at my strongest to not let anyone down."
Elder Pepé stared deeply into Arthur's eyes, trying to feel out for any lies or deceit in Arthur's words. Arthur himself felt exposed, showing an unwavering resolve never to lose.
Finally, Elder Pepé grunted, "Very well... But know this, little one. This path is not for the faint of heart. It will require your utmost focus. Fail, and ye shall remain an ape… forever!"
"I will not fail."