Path Of War

Arthur remained calm.

Jasper, the self-proclaimed rich man, wanted to fight him? This was a sudden request that piqued Arthur's interest.

Jasper was like a wildcard, and a fight could reveal more about him and his hidden motivations. With a straight face, Arthur asked, "And why exactly do you want to fight?"

"Let's just say," he said in a low and dangerous voice, "I have a feeling you can help me with something. A good fight has a way of bringing things to light."

There was a moment of silence. The ceiling lights above them gradually flickered.

"Alright, Jasper," Arthur finally said, meeting Jasper's intense gaze. "How 'bout we go somewhere more private?"

"I couldn't agree more…"

The two entered the elevator, descending with unspoken tension. Arthur never once looked at him, knowing the latter had ulterior motives. Otherwise, he wouldn't have waited till the last moment to ask for a fight.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing the deserted streetlamps lining the empty road. They both stepped out, their expressions unreadable. An unknown figure lurked unseen in the shadows, watching them walk forward.

It was William.

William, unable to shake off the unsettling feeling he got from Jasper's request, had doubled back. He pressed himself against the wall, his heart pounding. It was clear that he wanted to make sure things didn't get out of hand.

Suddenly, a curious voice shattered the silence, saying, "Hey, Will, whatcha doin' out so late?"

William jumped, nearly losing his balance. He whirled around to find Naruto Uzumaki, the one and only, standing behind him with a wide grin across his face.

The knuckleheaded ninja had spiky yellow-blond hair, blue eyes, and three whisker markings on each cheek. He was also wearing his signature outfit, a bright orange and blue jumpsuit with the red Uzumaki clan symbol on the back.

This character, ever curious, had apparently decided to follow William after wondering why he always came home so late.

"Naruto!" William hissed, frantically ushering him back into the shadows. "Keep quiet and stay outta sight! Didn't I tell you I'd be home late tonight?"

Naruto, ever the embodiment of obliviousness, tilted his head in confusion and asked, "Stay out of sight? Why? What's going on?"

William sighed, answering, "Look, I saw Arthur and Jasper leave together, and Jasper... well, Jasper was acting strange. I just wanted to make sure things didn't escalate."

Naruto looked even more confused. He knew Jasper was not the responsive type. But Arthur? He'd only heard about him a few hours ago from Jada.

"Arthur?" he asked. "The guy who helped Jada awaken the 'Shar-something'? What does Jasper want with him?"

William shrugged, not sure himself.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Come on, let's follow them discreetly. Just stay quiet, okay?"

Naruto nodded eagerly. The prospect of sneaking around at night was far too intriguing to pass up. Perhaps he thought he could get a jump scare on the two. Thinking this would be a good idea, he gave a mischievous smile.

Together, the unlikely duo weaved through the darkened streets, following the trail of Arthur and Jasper.

The deserted streets gave way to a slight incline, and soon the two found themselves atop a remote hill. Here stood a solitary tree, its gnarled branches reaching skyward like skeletal fingers.

The silence was profound, broken only by the occasional chirp of a cricket.

Arthur stopped, his gaze fixed on Jasper. Jasper mirrored him, his posture tense.

"Before we start," Arthur said, "What's the real reason you want to fight me?"

Far from them, in the bushes, William covered Naruto's mouth, preventing him from blurting out a surprise yell.

"We can't be seen," he hissed.

Naruto's face contorted in a mixture of annoyance and curiosity after William finally let go. He asked in a worried tone, "But why not?! They look like they're about to fight!"

"Exactly," William hissed again. "And Jasper... well, he has the Byakugan. It'll let him see almost everything around him, even far-away objects."

Naruto pouted. The Byakugan? He had never heard of it before. His curiosity to see the two outweighed his desire to know what it was. Straining his ears, he tried to catch a snippet of their conversation, but the distance rendered their words.

"Didn't think you'd be the type asking for a reason," Jasper coldly answered. Arthur remained indifferent. "Fine, I'll tell you if you can win. But I need a real fight. Live or die... Play for keeps."

"Jasper… The pain threshold is too high for you. Don't go crying if you get hurt."

Jasper shot across the moonlit clearing, leaving a trail of ripped grass in his wake. His speed was impressive, almost inhuman, but to Arthur's trained eyes, it was predictable.

Arthur remained rooted to the spot, calm amidst the sudden burst of motion. As Jasper reached him, he threw up a hand, catching the incoming fist effortlessly.

The sheer force of the blow sent a tremor up Jasper's arm, but Arthur barely flinched. He looked into Jasper's eyes, expecting to see the usual swagger, the playful arrogance. Instead, he found a cold, steely glint.

A flurry of kicks and punches followed, a relentless assault aimed at breaking Arthur down. But Arthur moved with grace. He parried and dodged each attack, never once going on the offensive.

A slight shift in his body prevented a poor lunge. A well-timed pivot evaded an obvious roundhouse kick.

From a hidden spot, Naruto gaped in awe. For him and William, it was like a dance between two warriors bathing in moonlight. He had never seen anyone move like that. Yet, despite the impressive display by Jasper, it was Arthur who held his attention.

He whispered to William, "Wow, Arthur's amazing! He's dodging everything!"

William remained focused on the fight, his brows furrowed. In a concerned tone, he said, "Maybe, but Jasper hasn't used his Bya—"

"Wow! Look at them go!"

"Stay quiet, Naruto!"

Arthur's calm facade remained as Jasper launched another roundhouse kick aimed at his head. With a simple tilt of his torso, Arthur slipped beneath it, the kick ruffling his hair. Before Jasper could capitalize on the missed blow, Arthur lashed out and palmed him right in the chest, sending him several yards back!

He let out a painful grunt as he stumbled back, clutching his chest where he was hit. That hurt. That really hurt!

Fury contorted his face, roaring in disbelief, "Why?! You're supposed to be a support player, nothing more! So why are you this strong?!"

Arthur, his expression unreadable, remained silent. Internally, however, he understood something. That one simple strike had sent Jasper into a frenzy. More importantly, why was Jasper so made?

With a dismissive "humph," Arthur turned away, opting to disengage from the pointless brawl. Jasper, however, wasn't finished.

A multitude of veins bulged from his temples, activating the Byakugan!

He lunged at Arthur with ferocity, desperate to prove his dominance. Just as his fist was inches from connecting, a firm grip clamped down on his wrist.

"Enough!" boomed a voice.

Standing between them was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage himself. The weight of this ninja's presence pressed down on them like a physical force.

Hiruzen's grip, despite his age, was unshakable, successfully neutralizing Jasper's attack. Jasper deactivated the Byakugan, his shoulders slumping in defeat, mumbling, "My apologies, lord Third."

His voice was meek compared to his earlier roar. He looked at Arthur's back, adding, "My apologies, Arthur. I got carried away."

Arthur heard through the facade instantly. This apology wasn't genuine; it was an attempt to salvage his reputation in front of the Hokage. He remained silent, continuing his walk down the moonlit hill.

His mind replayed the events of the fight, dissecting every move, every exchange. Arthur had been using the chakra-enhanced strength technique to improve himself.

While it appeared effortless, he could feel the strain on his reserves. Had Hiruzen not intervened, and had Jasper activated the Byakugan earlier, the outcome could have been far different.

Arthur knew he was strong, but in a fight against a dōjutsu user, his chances of victory were low. Without someone like Hiruzen stepping in, it was bound to be a losing battle.

Jasper's outburst about him being a "support player" echoed in his mind. It was a jarring comment, a hint at a deeper knowledge of the fabricated nature of his own predicament.

But for now, Arthur decided to keep it to himself. The others wouldn't be ready for such a bombshell, especially considering Jasper wanted to fight privately.

Arthur also knew Naruto and William had been following him; their loud whispers barely went unnoticed by him after leaving the elevator. He'd been careful to avoid revealing any of his more unique techniques, maintaining the facade of a standard ninja.

Arthur's steps stopped as he rounded the corner leading to his apartment building. There, under a nearby lamppost, stood Hiruzen. His earlier stern look during the fight was replaced by a warm smile.

From what Arthur knew about this character, he was a highly respected and powerful ninja who was a talented student who trained under the first two Hokages.

He was seen as a prodigy and was entrusted with becoming Hokage after the second Hokage sacrificed himself. Hiruzen strongly believed in the "Will of Fire," a philosophy that emphasized protecting the village and its people as a family.

He embodied this belief by always being there for the villagers and making decisions focused on the greater good. His kind and peaceful approach earned him respect from many, but some saw it as weakness.

Despite his pacifism, he understood the need for darker actions and allowed a secret ops unit to handle those tasks.

Regardless of that, he cared deeply for his students, especially Orochimaru, a genius like himself. He saw Orochimaru as the village's pride, but struggled when his student strayed from the right path. Hiruzen blamed himself for Orochimaru's choices and even questioned his own leadership throughout his life after the latter fled the village.

Although a great leader, Hiruzen was far from perfect. He had a lighter side that some might consider inappropriate, but his dedication to the village and his kind heart made him a beloved Hokage.

"Arthur," he calmly greeted. "I do believe this is the first time we've spoken directly."

Arthur knew when to lower himself. He schooled his surprise into a neutral smile, offered a respectful bow while saying, "Greetings, lord Third."

"No need for formalities," Hiruzen chuckled. "I understand you and Jasper were sparring earlier."

"Yes," he replied in a calm voice. "Just a little practice session between friends. Nothing serious."

Hiruzen let out a hearty laugh and said, "Jasper mentioned the same thing... You two have quite the head start on camaraderie, I must say. Behaving like responsible young men instead of rambunctious kids fresh out of the academy."

Arthur nearly choked on his own saliva. Responsible young men? He was internally grappling with a world that felt both real and fabricated, while the Hokage was patting him on the back for not behaving like a twelve-year-old?

"Indeed," he managed with a forced chuckle. "There's no animosity between Jasper and me." He paused, then added with a firm voice, "My duty is to protect, not to harm the innocent."

"Excellent sentiment, Arthur," he smiled. Then his voice became a tad low and more serious. "It saddens me to admit I may have placed you on a team I thought would be a good fit for you, given your... well, let's just say your taijutsu skills weren't entirely evident during the earlier assessment."

Arthur fought the urge to raise an eyebrow. So, the Hokage did notice something different about him. But, thankfully, he didn't pry.

"It's alright," Arthur smoothly replied. "Ultimately, the team placements were your decision, and I respect that."

"Indeed," Hiruzen nodded. "But perhaps there is a different path for you, Arthur. A path more suited to your unique skillset."

Those words seemed intriguing, yet Arthur decided not to press the matter. For now, he didn't need someone like a Kage meddling in his affairs.

"Thank you for your time," Arthur said, bowing respectfully. "I appreciate that you took the time to make sure we were alright."

Hiruzen returned the bow with a simple head nod. With that, he wished him well before disappearing into the night and leaving Arthur standing alone.