Never had the crowd cheered so loudly as they celebrated their champion, Arthur.
William, who had just woken up on a stretcher, saw that his friends were running with him through a tunnel. Likely to take him to an infirmary.
They didn't see he was awake. Perhaps it was because of his mangled face. Or maybe they were too focused on getting him healed.
Either way, he felt the weight of adulation, and defeat tasted very bitter. It didn't matter that Arthur had claimed victory over him in front of so many. What stung the most was who had witnessed it all.
At that thought, he looked, only to see Jada was missing from the escorting group.
Arthur stood center stage to bask in the moment. Mainly to not look suspicious.
He accepted the rewards—a bag filled with ryō and a large trophy. This was ironic since the tournament he had orchestrated had culminated in a victory he had not planned to achieve.
Raising them in triumph, he received many more cheers. Even the Mizukage stood to personally clap.
Now he was certain: the name 'Hoshikaze' would be marked in the annals of the entire shinobi world.
"Ladies and gentlemen! It has been an honour being your announcer, and we from the Wave Country hope you safe travels back wherever you came from!"
With that final line, the crowd gave Arthur one last round of applause before starting to disperse.
The tournament had come to a close.
To think that this long event had lasted less than a day to complete.
It was well worth Arthur's time. After all, he had fought valiantly against several worthy opponents.
"Will we be seeing you again, Mr. Hoshikaze?" asked the announcer.
"Perhaps…"
"Ha-ha! As expected from such a mysterious shinobi like yourself. Then… it was a pleasure watching you fight all the way to victory!"
"Thank you…"
The two soon departed as Arthur made his way to the exit tunnel.
He couldn't help but reflect back on this event.
Yes, he was capable of defeating characters like C, an elite guard of the Raikage. But the latter only showcased his taijutsu, leading to an easy defeat. Chen was also defeated, but that was after Arthur cast a genjutsu.
Then there were Jinchūriki like Fū and Han. Arthur hadn't been given the chance to fight either of them. Assuming those two were let loose and fought him with all their strength, it would be a very troubling encounter.
Arthur himself had indeed already beaten one Jinchūriki, but that was mainly thanks to his foreknowledge. Fū had to have been stronger due to the extra tails her Tailed Beast had.
Arthur didn't want to consider the match with Lars too much. The latter could have bested him in an all-out taijutsu battle.
That just left his final battle with William.
Toad Sage Mode was an incredible transformation, so had William prepared Shadow Clones in advance at Mt. Myōboku like Naruto had done once against Pain; William could have entered Sage Mode much faster.
Then there was the fact that the Nine-Tails' chakra was never drawn out.
William might have had insurmountable power, but against someone else with the similar foreknowledge like him, he lacked the cunningness that had defined what it meant to be a real hero.
This wasn't a story in which plot devices or character development could initiate. No, this was real life, a place in which only the truth could set someone free.
Anyone who couldn't see that would always lose to Arthur.
As he continued striding through the tunnel, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps behind him. He chose not to turn around, already knowing who had been daring to approach him.
"Please… Mr. Hoshikaze, hear me out!"
"Jada Uchiha…"
Arthur half-turned, only to see her hands resting on her knees. Judging from her actions, she didn't seem to suspect him of anything.
Once she regained her composure, she straightened up and said, "I'm sorry for being rude earlier. I… I really liked how you fought in all your matches, and…" She bowed. "Please take me up as your student!"
What? Arthur both expected and didn't expect this.
It wasn't long ago that she genuinely had tried to kill him. Plus, she was from earth with just as much foreknowledge. So what could someone with the Mangekyō Sharingan, the Totsuka Blade, and a Susanoo possibly wish to learn from him?
"No…" he said, turning back.
"Wait!" she said, rising up. "I can explain. "Among my friends, I'm not strong compared to them. Even Will—I mean William—is stronger than me. But… but if I train with you, I know I can reach their level."
Arthur turned again to see the sincerity in her eyes. So she didn't want to be left behind? How laughable.
"Do you not think of me cruel?" he probed. "The way I fight is with ruthlessness, showing mercy only to those I wish."
"I… Yes, I know. But you also fight with a purpose. I also remember what you said to Lars, and… and I want to follow you, too!"
The fear of inadequacy, of watching others grow stronger while feeling stagnant, was not something that pleased Arthur. It looked pathetic, especially for a girl like Jada, whose deadly side he had personally witnessed.
After a moment of consideration, he took a step closer and declared, "Being my student comes at a dangerous price. Do you think you can commit yourself to me?"
"Yes, sensei! I'm ready and won't disappoint!"
"Will you abide by my rules?"
"Yes!"
"Will you obey my commands?"
There was a moment of hesitation, but she still answered honestly, "As long as it doesn't involve killing anyone, then yes."
As to be expected.
"Very well…" he agreed.
Those words caused her face to brighten into a surprised smile. Deep down, she was certain he would continue to say no. But now she was officially his student.
"So when can we start?" she suddenly asked.
Arthur was not one to rush into things like these. The two had technically just met, and he didn't want to risk blowing his cover as Hoshikaze. Plus, there was something else he had to take care of first.
So he turned away, heading deeper into the tunnel. "You'll hear from me soon…"
"But how will you—" Before she could finish her question, she restrained herself, knowing that it was better to trust the words of her new sensei. "—Alright! I'll wait as long as I can!"
✟
Arthur soon found himself standing alone, gazing down at the landscape that lay beneath him. He was now high above a hill overlooking the stadium.
It was a breathtaking view, yet the beauty of this world always felt hollow amidst the turmoil of being its prisoner.
Letting the cool mountain air envelop him, he closed his eyes to continue his early thought.
Hoshikaze now existed in the minds of others. That could be a double-edged sword if he wasn't careful.
Especially considering how he could sense Mei Terumi and her escorts actually asking the officials for him. But he would never join her village. Not as Hoshikaze nor as Arthur. Not when he had more work to do.
So what was this work?
To remember that, one had to reconsider the recent events that have happened thus far.
First was Hiruzen. That man should have fully died, but Arthur knew he was still present in the Leaf Village—still in a coma—after Margaret blatantly exclaimed how she 'saved' the Hokage.
Second was a critical factor that happened today, which no one had expected: Naruto awakened his chakra mode three years in advance.
Snippets of how it happened were heard when he returned to his group. Apparently Lars's words hit the boy so hard that it forced him into his subconscious realm. There, he met Kushina in her chakra form, and the two not only unlocked the cage with the key but also pulled out the Nine-Tails' chakra in the same instance.
It was so easy for him that it didn't even require much of a fight. All thanks to William's many interventions prior.
Such new power from Naruto, if left unchecked, could transform the subtleties of the playing field.
That meant Arthur's current work would have to revolve around not the main character, but the second one: Sasuke Uchiha.
The others from earth were still hard at work trying to fix this world. To ensure their plans failed, Arthur needed Sasuke to join up with Orochimaru.
The very act would set off a chain of events, igniting the journey of Shippuden and thrusting just about everyone onto a trail that could further be manipulated.
If Arthur failed, and Sasuke remained in the village, the two ninjas this world revolved around would gather strength beyond comprehension. Arthur would become a mere footnote—an antagonist outmatched by protagonists too mighty to be subdued.
Their destiny relied on his escape, so he was going to re-seize control of the narrative at all costs.