Lars was an unexpected wildcard who no one was aware of was even in this world. That was because Lars was widely known for being a character in the Tekken franchise. And he was standing poised with his arms crossed, only one space from Arthur.
He measured the character's imposing figure. Lars looked more stunning than anyone present due to his half-Swedish and half-Japanese heritage. His blonde hair was in fringed bangs, while the back was styled into
A signature element of his hairstyle is the topknot fashioned like a crescent moon, complementing his overall design and emphasizing his status as a fighter.
Even more were his clothes, a mix of traditional and modern elements. He wears a patterned red kimono, which stands out against the decorated backdrop of his ensemble.
The kimono itself is cinched at the waist with a decorative white obi. Adding to the visual involvedness of his outfit, he wears gilded armour with interesting designs. Adorned with spirals and a majestic lion motif, the armour is both functional and symbolic of his martial prowess.
Then there were his clawed gauntlets, which Arthur knew were confiscated due to tournament regulations.
Out of all of Lars' accessories that shined, it was his golden details, such as a hairpin, rings fastened around the collar, and an ornamental decoration at the knot of his obi. The back of his kimono was also emblazoned with a stylized "46," serving as his clan symbol and a nod to his Swedish roots—the number that represents Sweden's country calling code.
To be quite fair, Arthur had known little about Lars, not being aware that this was indeed a character showcased in one of the video games. Being that he never played them, it was only natural that he found him (someone from a different universe) in this world.
Even the other players were shocked to see Lars. Some, like Margaret, were eager to fight him.
Why? This was a Tekken fighter, a renowned franchise that was widely known for their combat system. Million-dollar tournaments were held by this company, of which Lars was a top-tier fighter among the selected characters.
If a player could battle him and win, it would solidify their taijutsu skills among the others.
Sadly for them, Lars was Arthur's real target. A part of Arthur had suspected he would show up after seeing the Tekken character's name. Because of that, he had mulled over the implications of such an unpredictable element on the stage.
So he had asked himself, 'What if I can win him and turn him over to my side?'
As he was in mid-thought, he witnessed Naruto and William passing by. They stopped to approach him casually.
"Hey, mister!" Naruto exclaimed as he stepped forward. "You look super strong! Can you see behind that blindfold of yours?"
William shot a sideways glance at Naruto, expressing a mix of surprise and mild disapproval. So he corrected him gently, stepping to defuse the moment, "Naruto, that's a bit rude to ask."
"Oh, right! Sorry about that," Naruto admitted with a sheepish grin.
It was apparent he hadn't meant any harm. Arthur couldn't help but remember how different this version of Naruto seemed; this one was clearly more mature.
The last time they met, it was during their fight in the Land of Tea. Even then, Arthur recognized how much not just Naruto had changed, but even his friend, Sakura. Both had their personalities adjusted and were a lot stronger than their original counterparts.
There were still flashes of Naruto's old impulsive self, but he had learned to manage them well, perhaps aided by his William's influence.
"I just think you look really cool," he continued, unabashed. "I hope I get the chance to fight you, mister! You seem so strong!"
Arthur looked at him coolly, his expression unchanging as he contemplated the boy's enthusiasm.
"Apology accepted," he responded with a calm demeanour. It was in contrast to Naruto's exuberance.
William nodded towards Arthur and said, "I hope you do well in the tournament."
"Likewise."
Arthur's tone remained steady. What intrigued him was not simply facing Lars, but also discovering the depths of William's abilities. He recalled the challenge he'd faced against Jada, who, despite her strength, was not the strongest player. This made him question what exactly William and Margaret could bring to the arena.
While he would have gladly accepted Alex, Jasper, and Alice, they hadn't registered. He had a feeling not all of the players would have, considering this wasn't an event that occurred in the original story.
Perhaps they believed it was nothing but filler. Regardless, just having one out of the six players here was more than enough. Accepting characters like Rock Lee, Neji, and Iruka were but mere incentives to rope in more players.
The plan clearly worked since more than half of the players were now in Arthur's domain.
As the duo departed, Arthur's gaze shifted away, drawn by the need for clarity. His curiosity soon focused on Margaret and what she might be up to.
He used his Tamashii beneath the blindfold, allowing him to see across the arena, and his vision landed on her, chatting amiably with another participant, Fū.
Fū is a kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Waterfall. She is also notably known as the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails, Chōmei.
Her background is quite tragic, as she was captured by the Akatsuki during a turbulent period when various Jinchūriki were being hunted down, ultimately leading to her death when the Seven-Tails were extracted from her body.
This event, however, wouldn't start for at least another three years.
Visually, Fū is depicted as a petite woman with tan skin and layered mint green hair, characterized by a cheerful demeanour that often reflects her carefree personality. She was wearing an orange hair clip, which complemented her orange eyes, forming an interesting colour scheme.
Her ninja attire is distinctive and contributes to her tomboyish image; it consists of a short, sleeveless white midriff shirt layered with fishnet armour underneath, long white armlets, and fishnet shorts topped with a short white apron skirt. She also sports a forehead protector on her right arm.
Out of all the Jinchūriki's in this world, she had to have been the most stylish and flamboyant. Both in appearance and personality, much like the main character.
Fū's personality is marked by a joyous attitude, often smiling and engaging in playful banter, which reflects her desire to form friendships. In the Japanese dialect, her voice and speech patterns use the male-inflected 'ssu' at the end of her sentences, further establishing her tomboyish characteristics.
In this world, she sounded no different than the actor who voiced her.
She exudes an energetic vibe reminiscent of Naruto Uzumaki, depicted as loud, reckless, and eager for fun. Significantly, her upbringing under the guidance of her village leader, Shibuki, shaped her cheerful outlook on the world and motivated her desire to promote peace among her peers.
In terms of combat ability, she's known for her ability to exhale a sparkling substance that serves as a blinding attack, creating openings for her allies. Her skills extend beyond that, as she can create webs that support and heal others.
Despite the trials she faces, she remains fearless and outgoing, aiming to connect with others even in the competitive environment of a tournament like this one.
Margaret approached her, introducing herself with a warm smile.
"Hi there! I'm Margaret, but you can call me Marge. I couldn't help but notice you were by yourself."
Fū's eyes lit up, bright with a mixture of surprise and delight. She smiled a bit too largely and asked, "How did you know my name?!"
"Everybody knows you, Fū!" Margaret responded enthusiastically. "You're famous for being a Jinchūriki, remember?"
Fū chuckled, and to Arthur's uninterest, she seemed to forget that she was, in fact, widely recognized.
"Oh, wow! I totally forgot! That's pretty funny!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with modesty.
Margaret, noticing Fū's reaction, giggled alongside her and said, "I actually think you're really cool. I mean, as a friend!"
Blushing fiercely, Fū clasped Margaret's hand in excitement and said in disbelief, "Really? Friends! Yes! I'd love to be friends!"
Their giggles continued, and the bond they were forging seemed genuine, underscored by a shared sense of purpose for being here.
Meanwhile, Arthur's focus shifted back to the main stage, where the announcer was preparing to make an entrance, directing the crowd's attention. As participants began to shuffle back to their designated groups, the anticipation began to rise.
The arena suddenly shook with excitement as the announcer took center stage. He was clad in black attire that made him look more like a professional businessman. His voice boomed through the air as a hush fell over the crowd.
"Welcome, one and all, to this grand Clash of Ninjas tournament! Today, you will witness the finest warriors from across the world in not just battles of strength and skill, but also the essence of strategy to garner them honour like never before!"
As the announcer's words lifted their mood, Arthur's thoughts remained still. He was acutely aware of the dynamics shifting within the arena.
Each fighter here was quite eager, willing to try their hardest despite the announcer's promise having no merit.
Lars remained just as still as Arthur, not proud but observing the crowd.
The announcer's words finally cut through the noise. The rules that governed this tournament were foreign yet invigorating to most, but one thing became clear: all of them would need to adapt quickly to prove themselves as competitors.
With a polished cadence, the announcer detailed the parameters of the tournament.
"Fighters," he began on the microphone, "are not allowed to use any chakra-based techniques. No exceptions!"
The crowd listened, already knowing this fact. To the experienced ninjas present, none of them would have come if they weren't prepared to rely solely on their wits and physical strength. After all, the use of chakra and ninjutsu wasn't the essence of a shinobi's fighting style.
The announcer continued, "The way to win is by disqualification or knockout. The ring is large enough for all fighters to dance around in—should anyone be knocked out of the ring, they will be DQ'd."
As the words settled over the crowd, many were already envisioning themselves besting their opponents.
"After the first fourteen fights, we will take an intermission for rest and strategy discussion before advancing to the second round! And since we have an odd number of competitors, the two fighters who do not end up fighting will receive a bye to advance."
While yes, there were thirty even fighters, the bracket was divided by two, allowing only seven to fight on each side of the bracket of the first round. Trickling forward would leave an odd number of fighters to participate in the second, third, semi-finals, and final rounds.
To compensate for this ratio, Arthur allowed for the last two fighters to advance without needing to fight in the first round. He didn't mind who it was, so long as the tournament could continue fairly.
In terms of who all the fighters were, there were fifteen from the Leaf Village, six from the Cloud Village, five from the Stone Village, one each from the Sand Village and Waterfall Village, and two who weren't affiliated with any village.
In alphabetical order and village order, here were all the participants who were registered to fight in the tournament: Anko, Chen, Ebisu, Hana Inuzuka, Iruka, Kasuga Nara, Kotetsu, Lee, Makaro Akimichi, Margaret, Naruto, Neji, Raidō, Santa Yamanaka, William, Atsui, C, Darui, Karui, Omoi, Samui, Akatsuchi, Han, Kitsuchi, Kurotsuchi, Monga, Fū, Lars, Shira, and lastly Hoshikaze, who was Arthur in disguise.
Each one of them had their backgrounds personally checked by Arthur. Even though the flyers claimed that they weren't to have a bounty on their heads, when he saw just who had registered, he had the review team make an exception for fighters like Han.
Who was Arthur to deny the fans what they came to see?