Upcoming Round

All the sounds faded into the background as Arthur stood still, arms crossed tightly. He was like an island of calm amidst the tempest. Blindfolded, his thoughts spiraled, hovering over William, a puzzle needing to be solved.

Arthur was in deep contemplation. From his perspective, it was akin to being in a void. All sounds were muffled, and the faces roundabout could not be seen.

He redirected his awareness inwardly, contemplating their past encounters; he felt a disquiet around him. To anyone else, he would seem insignificant, but within his mind, worlds collided. He couldn't shake the image of William, who was standing right in front of him, cheering at the fight.

Despite the lively atmosphere, his focus sharpened back to the first day he entered Elysium. William had a timid nature—an awkward man with a neglectful appearance who seemed to be retreating from life.

But now, in this moment, that same man had stepped into a different world. The timid exterior had metamorphosed into a character of its own—an energetic supporter and person trying to be a hero.

How had this transformation occurred? Was it genuine or merely a façade crafted within the confines of this world's dangerous craft?

There was a term Arthur had forgotten about but heard a couple of times from earth: "isekai."

This Japanese concept, meaning "another world," refers to a genre in anime, manga, and light novels that involves characters being whisked away from their mundane lives into vibrant, fantastical realms.

As he reflected on it, he couldn't help but think about those who yearned for such an escape, seeing them as weak and frail in their refusal to face the challenges of their own lives.

He himself had once shared that longing, trapped in a cycle of dissatisfaction and unable to confront his issues, until he discovered the power of faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Not once had Arthur relinquished his faith, even in these troubled times. It was through Christ that allowed him to see things for what they truly were.

The appeal of isekai often lies in the fantasy of breaking free from the shackles of everyday life. Many people find themselves feeling discontented with their circumstances—whether it's their jobs, relationships, or overall direction.

The allure of being transported to a world where one can become a protagonist or wield arcane powers seems enticing at first, but Arthur viewed this desire for escape as a sign of feeblemindedness. Instead of facing their problems head-on, these individuals yearn for a quick fix, a magic portal that will transport them away from their struggles rather than tackling them directly.

In these isekai narratives, protagonists frequently undergo major personal growth, confronting not only external foes but also their own deep-seated fears. From what Arthur had witnessed, William was experiencing these same things.

Perhaps they weren't thrust into another realm; being in this world was quite similar to the term isekai. Most of the players didn't know when they'd return and—much to their disillusion—would die for real if they died here.

While this journey can be enticing to an audience, Arthur recognized that it often reflects a reluctance to confront one's reality. True strength, he learned, comes from facing adversity faithfully, not running from it, and embracing the challenges that God presents.

The Lord had shown him that genuine transformation does not come from escaping into another world but from confronting the trials of this one.

He also observed that in their fantastical realms, characters make swift progress, gaining power and recognition with relative ease. This rapid rise contrasts sharply with the slow, sometimes painful process of growth on earth.

From the moment he entered this world, every player was already stronger than him. He had to diligently work his way up just to be on par with the weakest one. They, unlike him, were given special traits, refined talents, and superior enhancements that would give them a huge lead.

While being transported to another world may seem to offer catharsis, Arthur couldn't help but see it as a metaphor for someone to avoid hardship. In his new perspective, he understood that real strength is built through endurance, perseverance, and faith in difficult times—a lesson he had learned through his relationship with Christ.

Moreover, the company depicted in isekai tales often emphasizes a sense of belonging, the same qualities William was experiencing now. He was referred to as a hero by some.

But true community is formed through shared struggles and support in facing hardships, rather than through escape into a fantastical narrative. While isekai may captivate many with its thrilling adventures and journeys of self-discovery, he saw it as a distraction from the real challenges that define ones existence.

The desire to be isekai'd, as he understood, reflects a yearning to avoid life's difficulties. Knowing all these things would help him identify William's character.

The discord around Arthur fell silent in his mind as he began to deduce what William's secret was. There was a trail that could be followed, and the thought pressured him to understand.

'Think…'

In his mental state of mind, Arthur's blindfold slowly fell as his eyes flared open to reveal their crimson light. The world around him spun, and the colours unified into a hazy swirl, as if he were suspended within a symphony he could feel but not hear.

His gaze fixed on a variety of scenes, from William's appearance to the man's interactions with everyone.

In that moment of concentrated awareness, time stretched and warped, and he channeled his chakra into the device embedded within William, activating the flying raijin mark!

As he tapped into that connection, images continued to flash in his mind, illuminating fragments of truth encompassed by William's essence. He delved deeper, sensing the vast reservoir of chakra swirling just below the surface, dormant and waiting.

Then—and he could hardly believe it—he felt the unmistakable presence of the Nine-Tails' chakra! The recognition hit him hard: 'William is a pseudo-Jinchūriki…'

That man was Naruto's cousin, yes; William had admired Naruto and everything he stood for. But this? This was far more significant. Naruto, in a moment of misplaced trust or familial affection, had to have shared the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Little did Arthur know, those two had a close bond. So much so that William had relayed to Naruto every piece of information to the main character—his parents, the Nine-Tails' real name, and even the main antagonists.

The implications were staggering, enough to threaten Arthur's plans. Could William even wield that power without succumbing to its darker impulses?

It was wise of Arthur to have created this tournament; otherwise, he might have never known this fact. These players were die-hard fans of the series, so much so that they were hiding secrets even among themselves.

"No wonder," Arthur first whispered to himself. Then he thought, 'He wants to be someone in this world…'

Drawing back from the tether of their connection, Arthur buried the revelations beneath layers of intention—a strategy now forming solid ground beneath his feet.

He had no urge to confront William amid the exuberance of the arena, not yet at least; he had a tournament to navigate; heads would spin in focus on battles yet unfought. He would hold his ground but observe keenly.

The sounds of the match once again filled his years. Arthur shifted his gaze back to the arena as the fight wound down.

Darui had wrapped his style of combat around Akatsuchi, relying on both tactics and strength to claim victory. While the latter had actually tried throwing the debris left behind the arena, it was not enough to prevail against Darui's speed.

The applauses were loud, sweeping through the stands. Perhaps it was because of the Raikage's support, which was equally fueled by Darui's teammates and Naruto's group.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice rang out, booming across the stadium after the match concluded. "What a fantastic fight! Give it up for Darui, our winner!" The Raikage prided himself on this victory. "Now, we'll be taking a short intermission as we prepare for the second round of this white-knuckle of a tournament!"

Before the crowd and participants could disperse, the announcer directed everyone's attentions to the giant monitor and continued, "Here are the matchups for the upcoming round!" Many of their gazes looked toward the screen.

"Iruka Umino versus William Uzumaki," the first line read. The two exchanged smiles after seeing it.

"Wow," William said, "this is going to be a tough match for me, Iruka-sensei!"

"Nonsense," the shinobi responded. "You've got a lotta experience, so don't count yourself out too early; just bring your A-game."

Next on the screen was Anko Mitarashi versus Raidō. The latter had forfeited earlier, granting Anko an unchallenged victory.

"Look at that," Lee said, pointing at the screen. "Me versus Neji! This is a match I have only dreamed of!"

Margaret tilted her head slightly, seeing that she was going to be fighting Fū. "Give it your best!" she heard the Jinchūriki holler across the arena.

Next was Han versus Darui.

"Oh, that could get rough," Darui remarked, rubbing his chin in thought.

"Why's that?" Omoi wondered, unaware of who Han was.

Samui answered, "Let's just say he's very skilled at taijutsu."

When the Raikage saw that matchup, he contemplated inwardly whether Darui could best that famed Jinchūriki, who was widely known for having the fastest taijutsu.

There were more names that others considered. Such as Hoshikaze versus Chen. Chen was quick, and this unknown Hoshikaze already proved his fortuitous nature as a taijutsu specialist. A match like that was going to be nothing short of a spectacle.

"Lars versus Kitsuchi," the screen read. However, Kitsuchi had already left, allowing Lars to advance without needing to fight. Lars himself had remained completely composed. So much so that it didn't even look like he was going to move during the intermission.

"I suppose there's no reason for us to stay here," Akatsuchi said.

"What about me?" Han retorted.

Monga snorted, explaining to Han that Akatsuchi was only trying to get under his skin since neither of them from their village had advanced to the next round. Han clearly hadn't found the joke amusing enough to laugh at.

"Hey you!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing over at another group. "Santa, right? Let's you and I dish it out right here, right now!" Naruto's group couldn't help but chuckle at his relentless nature. "Come on, guys. Back me up, will ya!"

"Don't worry," Santa said across the arena, "I'll be ready."

Although the crowd was just as eager to spectate the second round, some of the fighters felt different about their matches. A knot tightened in many of their guts. Those within the second round, by default, were considered the strongest fighters in this building.

Some, like Chen, were mulling over the implication of having to fight Arthur, whose taijutsu didn't at all seem lacking. Others, like Naruto, were displaying their eagerness to fight immediately.

"Naruto, calm down," Neji tried to relay.

"Neji!" Lee yelled, "I am looking forward to going all out against you!"

The Hyūga's attempts at trying to calm everyone down failed, so he gave into their boisterous behaviour, which also made Jada giggle.

The only other fighters who seemed willing to really go against one another, apart from those from the same village, were Fū and Margaret. Those two had become friends in the span of a few seconds, and the latter knew almost everything about her competitor.

"Hey, Fū," she cried out, "wanna hang with us before things start up again?!"

"I'd love to!" Fū answered, ignoring what her caretakers might have thought.

As the crowd dispersed for the intermission, Arthur chose not to approach anyone. Instead, he decided that it was best to go and review the film to make sure the footage he captured was clear.

Eventually, after the brief intermission, the competition would resume. During this period, both fighters and spectators would be able to venture into the city to purchase what they needed or strategize. Perhaps some were looking to converse with another about their backgrounds.

And as far as Arthur knew, he had no desire to intermingle with this sort of crowd.