It didn't take long for Arthur to briefly explain his reason for being here—all without revealing too much about himself.
Enma's posture grew rigid once Arthur had finished, seemingly accepting the information without question. "Let us talk more in private."
The giant monkey led Arthur into an office room. Then Enma leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in a gesture of contemplation.
"I must say that what you've told me requires careful consideration," Enma began. "We primates live in harmony with nature and only take what we need."
"Naturally understood…"
"But… we can defend what is ours. We are strong, resourceful, and fiercely protective of our home. Tell me, little Alex, what role do you see yourself playing in all of this?"
"I can help you strategize. More importantly, I can learn from you and your deep connection to this land to help combine our strengths."
Enma's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of learning. "What exactly do you propose to learn?"
"I'd like to learn the ways of the jungle and understand its power over nature."
Enma stared at him for a moment as if searching for hidden motives. Arthur, however, remained calm. Just as he was about to agree, a door at the back of the room slammed open with a bang.
A female gorilla with tall, broad shoulders strode into the room. Red lipstick painted her full lips, and she wore an emerald dress far too ornate for the jungle setting.
"Honey!" she boomed. "What in the name of the Great Banyan Tree is going on here? Who is this boy you're fraternizing with?"
"Now, Nala, calm down. This is little Alex; someone who came to give us a warning after meeting Pepé."
Nala scoffed. "And what does that confused old macaque know?"
Arthur had never seen nor heard of this character before in the story. Considering neither her nor Enma ever once addressed Pepé by his title, she told him that their prestige here was quite exceptional.
So he said, "Your land's in danger from outsiders."
Nala's posture stiffened as her hand instinctively went to a dagger strapped to her thigh. "Alex, was it? I don't think you understand how this jungle works." Arthur remained relaxed as she slowly crept toward his face. Her breath reeked of bananas. "The only outsider I'm seeing here is you."
Feeling threatened, Arthur still did not make a face.
Enma sighed. "Nala, please calm yourself. There's no need to treat our guest like—"
Nala interrupted him with a hand before turning to face him. "You allowed a young boy in my jungle without my consent? Absolutely not!"
Enma straightened in his chair, saying firmly, "Nala, first of all, it's our jungle. Second, Pepé wouldn't send someone here without reason. Stop making hasty decisions."
Nala wasn't convinced. With a deep scowl, she repeated, "Hasty decisions? No, honey. Use your head. An outsider came to our village crying wolf." If it wasn't obvious by now, this female monkey was Enma's wife. "Where's the proof in this boy's warning?"
Arthur braced himself for dismissal, but Nala surprised him. Instead of ordering him out, her gaze hardened. "Are you strong, boy?"
"I wouldn't call myself strong," he admitted, "but I'm resourceful enough."
Nala's lips curled into a smirk. This unexpected humility seemed to pique her interest.
"Resourceful, eh? Perhaps that's the proof I need to see first." She then strode toward a window. "See that courtyard? I want to test your character there. If you pass, I'll believe that outsiders are threatening our home. But if you fail—" she trailed off, yet the glint in her eyes spoke volumes.
A test from monkeys had never been witnessed in this world before. But regardless of what it was—arm wrestling, tree climbing—Arthur wouldn't back down.
"I accept."
"Good!" she finished, clapping her giant hands. "You have five days to prepare, boy. Until then, I don't want to see your face in my village."
She then turned to Enma. There was a conflicted look on his face. Clearly, he wasn't eager to go against Nala's wishes, but Arthur's arrival and Elder Pepé's message were things he couldn't ignore.
"Nala," Enma hesitated, "I think we should..."
Nala cut him off with a sharp glare. "This is settled, honey. Now, you," she pointed at Arthur, "I don't care where you go. Five days is all you get…"
Arthur looked toward Emma for some assurance. But the king, caught between his wife and the weight of an important message, could only offer a helpless shrug.
After making things official, Arthur departed their village and walked into the dense jungle looming before him. An untamed wilderness would now be his temporary home, and he was more than content with this.
He had five days to prepare for an unknown test against a queen monkey. Five days in their jungle? That was simply inviting a hungry lion into a herd of gazelle.
He pressed on, pacing his way through the undergrowth until the sounds of the village faded. When he emerged, it was into a clearing with sunlight dappling the grassy floor. Here, he activated his Crimson Gaze. No immediate threats, no territorial beasts, and—best of all—no primates.
This strange world held its fair share of dangers, of which there was no doubt. But Arthur, having experienced such threats, had faced much worse.
Survival instincts kicked in.
Around the clearing was a small stream gurgling its way through mossy rocks. He walked closer and saw freshwater fish. So he removed his sandals and walked through the water.
Patience was key.
A small fish darted out from behind a rock before moving toward a clump of weeds. Arthur's hand plunged into the water, and his fingers closed around the slippery fish. He held on tight as it struggled.
A meager catch, but enough to sustain him for now.
Building a fire without tools was slightly trickier, but nothing impossible since he had chakra.
He gathered dry leaves and twigs, carefully arranging them into a small pile. Then came the most crucial part: lighting it.
Using shuriken, kunai, flint, and a roll of bandages tucked in his bag, he created sparks on the dry tinder. It took a few tries, but one caught hold and ignited a small ember. Gently, he cupped his hands around the nascent flame until it became a crackling fire.
Shelter, food, and fire—he had secured the basic necessities for survival without wasting any precious daylight. In doing so, he gave glory to God, remembering that all things are possible with Christ.
The fish was easily cleaned in and out, scaled, and then skewered before placing over the fire.
Arthur then sat back against a moss-covered log to think.
Nala's challenge, while unexpected, was a natural one due to most monkeys being territorial creatures. He wondered whether she wanted a fight to the death or planned to make him run an obstacle course.
If it was a fight—whether against her or some other primate—brute strength wouldn't be enough. He needed to be creative and strategic. Not for her challenge per se, but for their entire village. The best way to do that was to understand the way their society operated and how it came into existence.
Before he could delve deeper into a strategy, he noticed that the sun was setting. Building a shelter was his next priority.
He scanned the surroundings until his eyes fell on a cluster of tall trees with thick branches. It was a few yards out, so he rushed over there and began to climb them.
Near the top was a network of branches that formed a natural platform. So he pulled out a kunai, embedded chakra at the edge, and gradually sliced many off. A lot tumbled to the floor until he knew he had enough.
Descending, he brought everything back to his resting area. Then he set off again to gather leaves and twigs.
Needless to say, any man could do what he was doing. But no man could do it at the speed he was at.
The sound of sound of nocturnal creatures eventually began to gather. Scavenging for more sustenance before nightfall would be a good idea, so he did just that.
Some edible mushrooms and berries were quickly found thanks to his Crimson Gaze. Many were so far out that he would have missed them had he solely been on foot.
By the time he returned, the fish had just finished cooking. But there was still more to do before eating.
With all the gathered materials, he used some rope he had brought and fashioned a makeshift bed, arranging it in a way that offered some comfort.
He finally made his way to the fish. The larger leaves he had collected were used as a plate. He placed all the fish, berries, and mushrooms on it. Then he said a silent prayer.
The flames cast a glow on his face as he ate peaceably. To no surprise, the food tasted quite bland since his meal wasn't salted. But he was content with it, finding no room to complain.
The last rays of sunlight soon faded.
The night almost felt alive with the chirping of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl. The moon also seemed perpetual, bathing the entire jungle in a soft glow.
Despite the uncertainty of things, a sense of peace settled over him. He was alone, but he wasn't hopeless. He had skills, knowledge, and, most importantly, his faith in Christ.
There was no need for him to sleep just yet. Once his meal was finished, he rose to his feet and performed the Calorie Control technique.
Swoosh.
Just like that, he was ready to begin his nightly training undisturbed.
The next day.
As the first rays of dawn shone, Arthur woke refreshed. The fire had died down to embers during his rest. Hunger could be felt, but he ignored it for now. Today wasn't worth wasting.
He rummaged through his belongings. Aside from his few spare tools, he had brought very little, knowing what he likely needed.
He spent the day practicing advanced taijutsu movements that he witnessed in the exams. When he was done, he moved on to continue honing his Smoke Kekkei Genkai.
This particular Kekkei Genkai wasn't great for combat. It was more for stealthy assassinations or espionage. So he practiced focusing the Smoke technique to be faster and more inconspicuous, which would allow him to use it easier in combat.
Of course, one day of training wouldn't yield immediate results. Yet he pushed himself to his limits every time, striving to achieve a perfect level that would give him an edge.
When he was finally out of breath and exhausted all of his chakra, it was time to eat.
The same method of foraging for food was followed: two fish were caught this time, alongside larger fruits. Thanks to his Calorie Control technique, he restored his chakra indefinitely, allowing him to do more training.
Night time came, and he was seen running what seemed to be a marathon. Times like these are when he wished he had weights to work with. Nonetheless, he managed to run far enough before choosing to return to his resting area.
He was tired, but his spirit was willing.
Something he could never afford to do was fall behind. Not just physical either. Every decision he made, specifically in this location, could translate back in the ninja world.
For instance, Enma was Hiruzen's personal summon. He even wore the Leaf Village's headband, insinuating that he was affiliated with that village. If the two were to make contact with one another, and Enma used Arthur's name, his whole charade here would crumble.
That was why he had told the residents to call him Alex.
And assuming that Enma didn't make contact with Hiruzen, and Arthur could dwell here in secret before the finals, there was still the fact that the primates here had to accept him.
Arthur didn't like the idea of that one bit. So a plan came to mind.