Path Of War-Chapter 10: The Leaf Village

Everything was perfectly programmed inside.

Towering wooden houses and charming shops lined the many winding alleys of the Leaf Village. While villagers bustled cheerfully about their daily tasks, children chased each other with joyous shrieks and laughter.

Arthur felt sick to his stomach.

Everything was so manufactured. The staged movements and flawless smiles gave the impression that they were a cheap replica of life, a carefully planned theme park.

These people—these villagers, he remembered dimly—weren't living; they existed within a simulation. Their existence—their happiness—was for the sick amusement of others.

Not a single person appeared familiar. Furthermore, it was still unclear where the other players were.

The villagers' smiles felt like painted masks, and he ignored their greetings. Instead, he made the decision to investigate in an effort to comprehend the extent of Elysium's creation.

The academy was the first landmark he saw. Most people would feel nostalgic, but Arthur felt a chilly dread. These young kids were practicing weapons that would eventually be destroyed in combat.

There was a dango shop across the street. The air was filled with the aroma of delicious dumplings. If he hadn't known better, his mouth would have been watering. He paused to watch fat families with their children gobble up their treats.

He noticed something new farther down the street: a building with painted posters emblazoned on the front. Curious, he went over.

A movie was playing, as evidenced by the LED lights flashing inside the real theater. One of the posters featured a stunning woman named "Princess Fūn."

This woman was unknown to Arthur. Little did he know this was the protagonist of the first Naruto film.

Small parks with bubbling fountains and flowers were scattered throughout the village. Under their parents' watchful eyes, children played with innocent laughter.

Knowing that this was all a lie, he became enraged.

He saw a huge training ground beyond the parks. None of the figures could be identified as they practiced complex techniques and engaged in combat. Unlike the enemies he had previously faced, their movements were precise.

His next trip took him to the Jōnin Standby Station, a structure he was familiar with. Outside, elite ninjas were gathered. As they prepared for missions, they conversed with one another.

Arthur was only interested in Asuma Sarutobi. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Hokage, is the father of this character. He was known to employ trench knives and wind techniques, and a lethal gang of ninjas would ultimately kill him in three years.

Arthur walked on past a library with tall bookshelves. Then a spotless hospital appeared, its windows glimmering with shifting shadows. He saw steam rising from a group of buildings farther on, the hot springs, a scene of many perverted scenes.

A number of eateries lining the main street were visible after passing all those sights. Every well-known Japanese dish was available inside, including ramen shops, yakitori vendors, and taiyaki stalls. He was surprised to see that Chōji Akimichi, a glutton who loved to eat, and Naruto Uzumaki were not present.

At last, Arthur arrived at the Hokage Rock, the most famous landmark. It had taken him a whole day to get here.

The stone carvings of former Hokages gazed down at the village. Although it appeared to be a cruel joke, it was a monument to their history. He saw Hashirama Senju, his younger brother Tobirama Senju, their student Hiruzen Sarutobi, and finally Naruto's father, Minato Namikaze, from left to right.

Although Hiruzen may have regained his position as Hokage following Minato's passing, he was reported to have perished a few months later at the hands of his own student, Orochimaru.

Arthur went up the mountainside.

The higher he climbed, the farther away the clatter of market stalls and the joyous shouts became. Every step he took revealed a sweeping panorama of the village below. However, the scene's beauty didn't exactly calm his mind.

He had witnessed everything; the intricately designed streets and the enormous kanji letter for fire on the Hokage's office were all figments of a thriving community teeming with armed ninjas.

The wind whipped at his kimono as he arrived at the top of the mountain, standing above the heads of one of the Kage. The village below appeared to go on forever, but Arthur was unmoved.

His mind would never change.

This façade would not convince him. These mock cheers would not lull him into a false sense of security. He was aware of the reality, a harsh, icy reality that blazed more brilliantly than the sun's replication in this virtual sky.

"Arthur?" a warm voice said abruptly, breaking through the wind.

He turned slowly and noticed a figure standing a few feet away. It was Jada Schmidt!

Her virtual persona radiated youthful exuberance, younger than the woman he knew. She stood in the golden glow of the setting sun, her blond hair now black and falling over her shoulders.

She hurried to embrace him before he could respond, saying, "There you are! We've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?"

It was an unfamiliar embrace.

The gesture felt awkward, so he forced a fake smile. "I was exploring..." he said calmly.

Startled by his touch, Jada retreated a little and remarked, "You feel like ice! Did you fall into a stream or something?"

He looked away from her probing eyes and shook his head. Her behavior suggested happiness and a sincere concern for his safety.

"I'm fine," he declared. "Just a bit chilly."

She kept her eyes on him and cocked her head. "That still doesn't answer my question: where have you been?" she said, her voice worried.

He wanted to open up to her about everything that had happened to him. But logic held him back. He was unable to determine whether this was a programmed character or actually Jada.

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He might be in danger if he told anyone what he knew.

He admitted, "I was lost in the forest for about a week, but I found the village, and you found me. Aren't you glad?"

All of her sense of reason was shaken by the question. "Are you kidding?" she asked with a smile. "I'm super happy! You must have had a crazy tutorial."

Their brief conversation revealed far too much. The first is that she used the pronoun "we," implying that the other players were also curious about his whereabouts. Then she added "tutorial." Unless they are extremely smart, no NPC would say that.

"Come on, you look hungry," Jada said as she took his hand, her fingers warm to the touch. "Let's get back down to the village."

He let her lead him down the mountain on the well-traveled trail. She talked about a training exercise she had done with the group and her day as they descended.

The same gentle, childlike excitement he remembered from the real world was in her voice. She hadn't even gone through his trials; that much was clear.

As he attempted to piece things together, he listened with half an ear. Was this an NPC, or was she really unaware of the prison they were imprisoned in? She listed every player who was playing, so she couldn't have been.

It was a painfully slow descent. His paranoia grew with every moment that went by. The person leading him was not someone he could trust. To make sure she wasn't involved in Dr. Kapoor's scheme, he had to figure out how to test her.

"Jada," he interjected.

"Yeah?" she asked, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Do you remember one of the flaws I said about this world?"

Jada's smile wavered. Confusion crossed her features as she repeated, "Flaws...?" She didn't seem sure. "Well, I can't recall, but I think I remember you saying something about technology not making sense here. Why are you asking?"

Arthur felt his heart race. Her response was just what he had hoped for. Like him, Jada was a true player.

"Just curious," he shrugged, quickly putting on a mask of nonchalance. "I was wondering if maybe there was something you might have seen."

"Yeah, actually!" Jada said with a sincere smile. "Did you know they had a movie theater built like we were in the 2000s?"

Arthur played along with her enthusiasm. As long as she wasn't a programmed character, that's what truly mattered.

They went down further. Jada pointed out landmarks while talking animatedly about the village. She happened to see the Hokage Rock on the mountain because she had wanted to get a close-up look at him.

He still wanted to get revenge, even though she and the other players were there. He still wanted everyone to be free.

They were getting close to some residential houses when she finally paused, looking worried.

"Arthur," she said softly, "before we greet the others, are you sure you're okay? There's a lot to take in, including meeting everyone and getting used to our roles here. Also, you've been a little quiet. I'm sorry if I haven't been considerate."

"Don't worry about me, Jada; I'm a quick learner," he said, grinning at her with a well-staged, sincere smile. "Besides, with you by my side now, how can anything bad happen?"

Without meaning to, he made her blush. "You're such a charmer," she said with a giggle.

The two walked to the first of only two ornately decorated doors on the floor after riding an elevator to the top floor. Jada opened the first and led Arthur into a large apartment.

There were soft rugs and smooth marble floors here. With sunlight filling the room with a warm orange glow, the windows provided a stunning panoramic view of the village.

Did the players reside here? Arthur kept his discomfort to himself.

Alice, Margaret, and William were all comfortably seated inside, and the living room was buzzing with conversation. He didn't remember these people.

William's normally trimmed beard had disappeared, and he now had dark red hair. He still wore his trademark glasses, which made him look younger. He still appeared to be a nerd at the end of the day.

Not much had changed in Margaret's appearance. Her personality matched the hotness of her dyed hair. Alice's once-brunette hair had turned a vivid shade of blonde.

'Where are Jasper and Alexander?'

"Do my eyes deceive me?" he heard behind him as he was thinking this. They crossed the platform. "To think we'd be seeing this handsome gent," said Alex, grinning broadly.

Other than his youthful appearance, Alex had not changed. Now, as for Jasper, his hair was strangely white.

The players were all younger, and their bodies were shaped to match the virtual personas they had selected.

A stunned silence descended upon the scene as a result of the unexpected arrival. Everyone looked at Arthur, many of them in astonishment or joy.

"Arthur!" William pushed himself to his feet and exclaimed. "You made it at last!"

"Hey everyone, glad to see you're doing well," Arthur said with a broad smile and a casual wave.

"Are you doing well?" snorted Margaret. "More like doing nothing!" His arrival did not appear to surprise her in the least. Rather, she reclined on the sofa. "I'm so bored!"

Jasper gave Arthur a short smile before abruptly losing interest as Alex and Jasper entered. Alex laughed and said he was sorry for being so impolite. Pretending not to mind, Arthur laughed back.

He was attempting to persuade these individuals to support him, but they didn't appear to be aware of the circumstances. He had to keep complying.

"All right then," he said lightly. "How about we catch up?"

Alice pointed to the vacant area next to her and said, "This I gotta hear."

He looked around the room again, glancing at a noticeable object on their person: the Leaf Village headband. One was only allowed to be worn by academy graduates, indicating their official status as ninjas.

Alex had his headband fastened around his waist. It was fastened securely to Jasper's left bicep. Margaret and Alice both wore theirs around their necks. It was worn on William's forehead alone. It wasn't showing anywhere for Jada.

Jasper opted to sit in the kitchen with his elbows resting on the counter, while the other two were huddled together on the couch.

"I guess I'll start," Arthur announced.

He quickly recounted how he got to be alone somewhere in the Fire Country. It was concealed that he had killed an NPC, been deceived, imprisoned, and obtained a Kekkei Genkai through unethical means.

"I knew clan-less was stupid," Margaret cried.

"Oh, come on," Alex protested. "Arthur was able to spend time outside the village and admire his stylish attire."

Jasper scowled as he looked at Arthur, seemingly searching for a weakness. "What were you doing all that time?" he asked, noting that Arthur's body had not been scratched at all.

"Living off the land," Arthur answered. "You're probably wondering why I appear so tidy. I used the river to wash my clothes. Don't get me wrong, I was freezing!"

With only mild remorse that he was given the short end of the stick, the others laughed. He would not tell them the whole truth. Not just yet.

Knowing exactly what the clan-less description had said, they all believed his story.