Path Of War

Sunlight roused Arthur awake.

The first day of the Chūnin Exams had arrived. He rose, performing a quick set of stretches. A quick breakfast later, he found himself amidst the gathering hall where the first part of the Exams would be held.

Outside the entrance were two unfamiliar figures. Both were middle-aged, based on their attire. One sported a neatly trimmed beard, the other a fierce scar running down his cheek. They looked annoyed as they surveyed him.

"You Arthur?" the bearded one grunted.

Arthur remained stoic, saying, "Yes, I'm him."

The scarred one rolled his eyes and said, "Well, you're late. We've been assigned to the same team for the first part of the Exams."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

The thing he'd forgotten was that solo participation in the Chūnin Exams wasn't allowed. Each Genin needed a team of three. Hiruzen must have been the one to orchestrate this team together to allow him entry—an unexpected turn of events, to be sure. 

"I wasn't aware solo participation was an option," he said, a tad amused.

The bearded Chūnin snorted, "Solo participation? This isn't kindergarten, kid. It's a team effort." He then gazed at Arthur's frame and youthful features. "Just make sure you don't drag us down."

Arthur held back his grin. It was clear that these two could see how dense his muscles were underneath his shirt. Seasoned Genin perhaps, but they were utterly oblivious to his capabilities.

He couldn't help but picture them as fodder or expendable characters.

"Understood, sir," he replied. "I won't disappoint you."

The scarred Genin scoffed, saying, "See that you don't." He turned and gestured towards the entrance. "Let's get this farce over with."

Arthur followed them.

The first part of the Exams was about to begin, and he found himself surrounded by an unlikely team. He might not have planned it this way, but this unexpected twist might introduce a new layer of intrigue to the game.

The wooden doors of the exam hall groaned open, revealing a bustling scene within.

Arthur, flanked by his two unenthused teammates, stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces—the players and the Rookie Nine.

Who interested him the most was Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru's right-hand man and his spy sent to watch things in the Leaf. Kabuto's presence here could signal an earlier start to Orochimaru's machinations, a detail Arthur would have to keep an eye on.

Suddenly, a familiar figure emerged from the crowd, a bright smile splitting her face as she called out, "Arthur!" It was Jada.

He waved at her and said, "Jada. Good to see you here."

She pushed her way through, her gaze falling upon the two Genin flanking him. Amused, she asked, "Who are these guys?"

"Esteemed teammates from the Hokage."

Jada held back a laugh. She, like the other player watching, knew that he wouldn't be given entry without a team of three. They only waited to verify if solo participants were one of the discrepancies Dr. Kapoor mentioned.

"Can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out how strong you are," she said in a sympathetic tone. "Well, hope you do great. Oh! I forgot to tell you something."

She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a whisper, saying, "Just got word that Alex, Margaret, and William went straight to the Hokage's office."

"They already told him?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"Apparently," she confirmed. "And guess what? Hiruzen set a trap. He's expecting Orochimaru to make a move in the Forest of Death."

Arthur's expression slightly hardened. Jada lowered her voice further and said, "They also mentioned something about increased surveillance during the Exams."

"Sounds like a well-laid plan," he said, his voice neutral. "Things should be fun."

Jada snorted, "Fun? With all this going on? Fat chance." She touched his shoulder to reassure him. "But we'll pass the first round, no problem."

Arthur couldn't help but agree. He knew the contents of the written exam—after all, he'd had the luxury of studying the entire Narutoverse.

Passing this first stage was a mere formality for them. He spent the remaining moments observing the scenes playing out like they normally had—Naruto making a grand announcement and the Sound ninjas harassing Kabuto.

Finally, a stern-faced proctor appeared in the room. It was Ibiki Morino, a man filled with long scars running down his face.

He strode towards the front. With a sharp rap of his knuckles against the chalkboard, he commanded attention.

"Listen up!" he barked, her voice leaving no room for argument. "My name is Ibiki Morino, and I'll be overseeing the first part of your Chūnin Exams. Pay close attention, because these rules are not to be broken."

He began scribbling across the blackboard. Following his rules was a diagram depicting a point system—right answers awarded points, wrong answers resulted in deduction. Each negative point chipped away at a potential passing grade to advance.

A low murmur rippled through the room as the Genin absorbed the information. Arthur, however, found it mildly boring.

This entire charade was simply a front, a way to weed out the truly unprepared. He already knew the passing requirement—survive until the test concluded. Meaning that even if he didn't answer a single question, he'd still pass.

As Ibiki barked out instructions, Genin sat in their assigned seats, and test papers were distributed.

Arthur received his own, his eyes scanning the questions with a mix of boredom and slight interest.

These weren't your typical "what chakra nature does fire release belong to?" type of questions. Instead, they were elaborate scenarios riddled with complex variables and statistical analyses.

"If a ninja with a base speed of 12 meters per second throws a kunai with a wind affinity at a 45-degree angle..." The questions droned on, testing not just knowledge but also the ability to think strategically under pressure.

Pencils scratched against paper as Genin diligently tackled the written test.

Arthur scoffed internally. These questions bordered on the ridiculous. Even an insane fan of this world couldn't answer them with ease. But this test wasn't just about him. He knew his results would be evaluated, and a perfect score could affect his chances at becoming a Chūnin.

He had a plan.

Considering the players were looking to take down Orochimaru early, then the remaining arcs in the game would greatly affect the end.

Now, Arthur wouldn't let it happen. But for his methodical plot to see the light of day, becoming a Chūnin would be advantageous.

'Tamashii…'

A faint glow covered his vision as he closed his eyes. He saw the answers of everyone in the room!

William hadn't written a single thing, already knowing how to pass. What intrigued Arthur was Naruto. Not only had the main character not written anything, he was also very calm.

There was only one reason for it—someone told him how the first part of the Exam would be.

Looking at Jada, Alex, and Jasper, their papers were all filled in. All of their answers were different, but it was clear they had used their respective dōjutsus to copy from nearby proctors disguised as participants.

Alice and Margaret were busy writing. Neither of them, except Alice, had a sure-fire way of copying someone else's test. It would be improbable for them to know any of the questions, considering a calculator would be needed.

Arthur could only speculate that they were engrossed in the game.

Regardless, there was only one character to cheat off to guarantee him a pass—Shikamaru Nara.

Shikamaru, infamous for his laziness but unparalleled strategic genius, was stated to have been the only Genin to become a Chūnin. Of course, others, like Sasuke, would have ranked higher had it not been for Orochimaru's intervention.

By subtly replicating the answers Shikamaru had finished writing, Arthur could ensure a passing grade without attracting undue attention.

It didn't matter if the answers were covered or if a protector walked by—Arthur's Tamashii was no laughing matter!

With an unreadable expression, he finished copying all the answers.

A collective sigh of relief filled the room as Ibiki declared the written test over.

"This test," Ibiki announced, "was designed to gauge your information-gathering skills and mental stamina. It wasn't just about facts, but how you process them under pressure." He paused, letting his words sink in. "There was, however, no tenth question. Anyone who didn't get caught cheating has passed this stage."

Naruto practically leaped out of his seat, crowing, "Yeah! Alright! We did it! We passed!"

The celebratory mood was short-lived once a sudden crash shattered through the window, sending shards of glass flying. A woman with purple hair stood amidst the debris. It was Anko Mitarashi, a Chūnin known for her boisterousness.

She was also the one in charge of the second stage of the Exams.

"Well, well, well," she drawled. "Ibiki, you let too many of them pass!"

"What can I say?" he smiled. "This year's Genin are formidable."

"When I'm done with them, their numbers will be cut by more than half."

Arthur anticipated a short break between the written test and the second stage, perhaps even a week, to allow the Genin to recover and strategize like in the story.

But here was Anko, announcing the immediate commencement of the next part.

Anko, all smiles and danger, led the Genin out of the exam hall and towards the gates of the 44th Training Ground, also known as the notorious Forest of Death.

They gazed upon the dense foliage that swallowed the sunlight whole, casting an unsettling shadow over the entrance.

As Anko laid down the rules—two scrolls, a three-man team, survival for five days—a wave of nervous excitement washed over the assembled Genin.

Things were simple to remember.

The second stage of the Exams throws three-man Genin teams into a brutal survival competition within the ten-kilometer (twelve-mile) forest.

It's really meant to test teamwork, resourcefulness, and fighting skills. Each team receives either a white scroll or a black scroll, and their objective is to reach a central tower within five days while possessing both scrolls.

Teams are free to acquire the missing scroll through force, trade, or even waiting near the tower to snatch it from others.

The forest itself is a dangerous place with natural hazards and no outside help. Teams must sign waivers acknowledging the risks, as injuries and even death are a possibility.

While losing a scroll doesn't mean immediate disqualification, it adds pressure to find another while navigating the forest's dangers and potential conflict with other teams.

Arthur looked around to see William and Alex conversing with Team 7.

Their whispers carried a sense of urgency. And though Arthur couldn't discern the exact words, he understood the gist of the conversation—a warning about Orochimaru's presence, a plan to expose the villain.

Suddenly, a figure caught his eye at the edge of the crowd. A young man with long, smooth black hair and dark eyes, clad in a traditional straw hat and a simple grey jumpsuit, stood with two of his teammates.

They made eye contact, and the scene became quiet.

It was as if an orchestra started playing, which only they could hear. Arthur stood straight, his gaze locked on the unassuming figure. The man's eyes held Arthur captive.

Under the surface normalcy, a slithering darkness showed itself—reptilian irises glinting under the hat. It was as if a monstrous wyvern, a coiled serpent poised to strike, was staring at Arthur.

He could almost feel the heat radiating off the predator as it sized up its prey. The music swelled, a crescendo mirroring the unspoken dual transpiring.

This was Orochimaru!

Arthur raised his eyes once, breaking the scene. No sweat, no fear—only the reminder that opposing characters like this one stood in his path.

As Anko finished detailing the final rule, Arthur met the young man's gaze again. While yes, it was Orochimaru, that ninja was in disguise as a ninja from the Hidden Grass Village.

Calling out a Sannin like Orochimaru in the middle of the Exam would be tantamount to starting a massacre. Hiruzen, it seemed, had opted for a more discrete approach—isolating the enemy before he could make his move.

Arthur surmised that the Hokage had likely stationed a contingent of skilled ninjas within the forest, tasked with capturing or eliminating the rogue Sannin when the opportunity arose.

To confirm his suspicions, he activated his Tamashii.

His gaze swept past the dense canopy of the forest, penetrating the foliage. There they were, scattered amongst the trees—several figures with strong chakra signatures all positioned close to Team 7 and the disguised Orochimaru.