Elder Pepé

Swinging from branch to branch, the two delved even deeper into the jungle. The air continued to grow thicker with humidity.

"Orangi," Arthur called. "How much further?"

Ooka-Ooka slowed down a little to rumble, "Patience, little Alex. The heart of the Cayman Jungle is a place of secrets. Elder Pepé resides somewhere most primates wouldn't find him. It's not a place easily found by outsiders."

The relentless canopies finally gave way to a rise in elevation. Ooka-Ooka, still navigating, led Arthur to the base of a mountain.

Towering rocks were shrouded in mist. The air here felt different and thinner, carrying a strange scent of minerals in the wind. The humidity of the jungle had receded, replaced by a cool breeze.

With a nod, Ooka-Ooka began the ascent with ape-like ease. Arthur, less accustomed to such a climb, found himself keeping pace.

The path wasn't readily apparent, requiring them to scramble over moss-covered boulders and navigate around jagged outcrops.

Halfway up the mountain, the mist grew thicker. Visibility dwindled to a mere few feet, forcing him to slow down. He couldn't rely solely on sight; his other senses were heightened, alert to the sound of Ooka-Ooka's heavy breathing.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached a plateau.

The air here was surprisingly clear, but ahead, a wall of white vapor blocked their path. The scent of it was strong, unlike anything Arthur had ever encountered.

Instinctively, he activated his Tamashii.

In front of him, the wall of vapour had an almost tangible energy. It felt off—not exactly chakra, but something unsettling. This wasn't at all an ordinary mist.

"Elder Pepé's clearing lies beyond this," Ooka-Ooka rumbled in the stillness.

He pounded his chest twice as the sound echoed through the air. Arthur watched, seeing the mist around him grow, swirling and churning violently.

A low moan, like the rumble of an earthquake, shook whatever platform they were standing on. Ooka-Ooka stood tall, unfazed by the tremors.

The mist before them began to recede, pulled outward by an unseen force. As it lifted, a breathtaking vista unfolded before Arthur's eyes.

A vast, steaming pool filled the clearing, its surface reflecting the pale light filtering through the mist above. Towering redwoods encircled the clearing, but the sight that truly stole Arthur's breath away was the colossal being nestled within a hot spring.

It was a Japanese macaque!

Its head, easily over a hundred feet tall, protruded from the steaming water, its eyes gazing upon them with a calmness that belied its immense size. The rest of its body remained submerged, the mist and steam obscuring its lower half.

Arthur's mind needed a second to comprehend the sheer presence before him. A talking orangutan was one thing, but this—this was a creature only read about.

If the size of this snow monkey was impressive, the size of a Tailed Beast would render the other players speechless.

Ooka-Ooka swung his arm towards the macaque and screeched, "Behold, little Alex! Elder Pepé, the wisest of our kind, the guardian of the Cayman Jungles!"

A rumble echoed through the clearing.

The macaque's amber eyes shifted to meet Arthur's gaze. "So," its voice boomed, "a visitor from another land arrives. What reason do you have for being here?"

Arthur had only needed a second to compose himself. Answering, he said, "I come with a message, Elder Pepé. A message of grave importance."

The giant macaque's gaze remained steady as it said, "A message of grave importance, you say? Do your words merit disrupting the tranquility of the Jungle? Speak, young one."

Arthur plunged into his explanation, saying, "Elder Pepé, my dwelling is not far off. But the reason for my being here is because the whole world is under threat."

He elaborated, carefully weaving a story of the Ōtsutsuki clan and their tendency to strip entire worlds of their natural resources. He described Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's descent into their world and the legendary battle that sealed her away.

Most importantly, he warned of the clan's potential return and how their jungle could become the next target for their exploitation.

Elder Pepé listened patiently. Finally, with a deep rumble, its voice echoed around the clearing to inquire, "And how is it you know of these... Ōtsutsuki?"

Arthur hadn't faltered, but he couldn't reveal the true nature of his existence—the fact that he wasn't a prophesied visitor but a player trapped in a digital world.

"I just do... It's a message I carry—a warning I must deliver. If you find me full of guile, then do with me what you will."

Pepé's gaze remained fixed on him, boring into his very being. Then silence.

Minutes seemed to stretch into hours as Arthur endured the scrutiny of the giant macaque. His heart remained steady, sweat only trickling down his face due to the heat.

Then, with a sigh so vast it seemed to stir the very air around them, Pepé's boomed, "You speak the truth... The flow of your chakra... it betrays no deception."

'Deception?' Arthur thought.

Did that mean his explanation aligned with Pepé's lie-detecting ability?

"However," it continued, "telling the truth does not always guarantee aid. We are peaceful creatures, young ones; not all of us are warriors. Our ways revolve around maintaining the balance of this sacred place."

Arthur became slightly disappointed. He had come so far, only to be dismissed. Venturing here felt almost pointless.

"But," Pepé added, "the forthcoming is a capricious thing. Perhaps there is another who might lend an ear. Ooka-Ooka, take this young visitor to king Enma."

The unexpected command left Arthur speechless. Enma? There was only one Enma in this world—Hiruzen's personal summon. Now things make sense.

Before Arthur could voice his question, the giant macaque dove back into the steaming spring with a splash that rattled the clearing and sent tremors through the mountain.

The mist swirled in a violent rage as the colossal being retreated, leaving only the echoing rumble of its descent.

Ooka-Ooka, who had remained strangely quiet during the exchange, let out a low whistle, saying, "Well, Alex, it looks like you weren't lying after all. Elder Pepé's eyes, you see, can spear straight through your chakra, detect any lie. You must be pretty talented at whatever it is you do, huh?"

There was a hint of admiration in the orangutan's voice, a respect for whatever hidden conviction Arthur held.

Of course, he hadn't been completely transparent, holding back some of the details of his arrival. But his explanation and his purpose had convinced their elder.

And why would Arthur ever lie? He spoke the truth and nothing but the truth, and the whole world was in danger because he existed.

"I guess I am," Arthur replied. "Now, about this king..."

Ooka-Ooka chuckled, saying, "Patience, little Alex. Our king, Enma, isn't someone you just meet out of the blue. We must journey to our village first."

Ooka-Ooka turned and began walking down the mountain. Arthur paced after him, the promise of an audience with Enma assured.

Enma, the king this snow monkey spoke of, couldn't be anyone else but Hiruzen's personal summon. And if this was the case, this hidden realm, the Cayman Jungle, was Enma's secret home.

From what Arthur knew about this character, the king of monkeys was a loyal and grumpy companion. Despite his gruff demeanor, he is fiercely protective of Hiruzen, often reminding him of past mistakes and urging him to take decisive action.

He's aware of the affairs that take place inside the Leaf Village.

Sporting long white hair and a goatee that complements his white fur-trimmed black outfit, he's quite old.

Enma's true power lies in his shapeshifting abilities. He can transform into a powerful staff, known as the "Adamantine Staff," which is as tough as a diamond.

In this form, he can restrain opponents, extend to push away giant beasts like the Nine-Tails, and even sprout limbs for offensive maneuvers. He can even clone himself as a staff to create an impenetrable wall.

Although not seen after Hiruzen's death until the Fourth World War, Enma remained a loyal summoning creature.

Arthur almost let the excitement get to him. If he could convince Enma of the Ōtsutsuki threat, it could be the tipping point.

But first, he had to reach the king.

Ooka-Ooka led him on a descent down the mountainside. The canopy thickened again, revealing a sight that marveled Arthur.

Nestled amidst the towering redwoods lay a civilization of primates.

Huts made of woven leaves and branches lined the pathways, with smoke curling from their roofs. Streets teemed with activity—spider monkeys swinging from makeshift ropes, baboons lumbering on the ground carrying bundles on their shoulders, and smaller primates chattering excitedly as they scurried around.

The sheer diversity of the primate population was astounding.

Long-nosed proboscis monkeys with snouts hovering on platforms. Giant gorillas, not the beasts Arthur was familiar with but eye-popping three hundred-foot-tall ones, strolled like guards with authority.

Gibbons with long arms traversed gaps between structures. The multitude of sounds, the colours of fur and foliage, the vibrancy of this hidden society—it was nothing compared to the Leaf Village.

"Welcome to the heart of the Cayman Jungle, little Alex," Ooka-Ooka said, gesturing towards the town. "The home of our king—Enma!"

Arthur kept himself steadfast. Perhaps, just perhaps, they wouldn't turn a blind eye to his impending threat.

He scanned the crowd, asking, "Where is Enma?"

Ooka-Ooka chuckled, saying, "Slow down there, little prophet. There's a bit of protocol involved. But don't worry, I know just the guy to get you started."

He grabbed Arthur's arm with surprising strength and steered him towards a building larger than most others, its roof adorned with carvings of intertwined branches and monkeys. A banner fluttered in the breeze above the entrance, depicting a large monkey holding a staff.

"That's the Royal Registry," Ooka-Ooka explained. "We'll need to register you as a visitor before you can have an audience with the king."

'Registering as a visitor?' he thought to himself. 'Bureaucratic hurdles or a blood contract?'

But before he could voice his concerns, Ooka-Ooka had already pushed open the wooden doors and ushered him inside.

The scent of parchment and ink filled his nostrils. Rows upon rows of scrolls lined the walls, all of them labeled and stored on wooden shelves.

A lone mandrill with reading glasses was hunched over a massive desk piled high with papers. It peered up at their entrance with an inquisitive expression.

"Ooka-Ooka," the mandrill grumbled, his voice deeper than Arthur had expected. "What brings you to the esteemed halls of the Registry today?"

"Greetings, Registrar Riku," Ooka-Ooka said. "I've brought a visitor—a prophesied one, no less! Needs registering, stat."

Riku's eyes narrowed to Arthur, and he said, "A visitor, you say? And a prophesied one at that…? Don't waste my time with riddles, Ooka-Ooka. Spit it out."

Arthur felt severely out of place amidst the bureaucratic order. Without stuttering, he said, "You can call me Alex. I've already spoken with your elder."

Riku froze for a brief moment. That got his attention. Then his gaze returned to Ooka-Ooka, saying, " Elder Pepé tends to get fanciful after a good soak, so it seems."

Ooka-Ooka roared with laughter, shaking the scrolls perched on the shelves.

"Come now, Riku! Don't be so dismissive. Elder Pepé wouldn't send someone here without reason."

The two primates bickered back and forth, trading insults and playful shoves that seemed more like friendly roughhousing than actual aggression.

Arthur watched the display, unsure of whether to intervene or simply stay out of the way.

Finally, a noise boomed: "Silence!!"

When Arthur looked, Enma entered the room. He had enough of the ruckus.

"Ooka-Ooka, haven't you finished foraging yet?! I am hungry and haven't eaten all day!"

Ooka-Ooka chuckled sheepishly and said, "Forgive me, your majesty! I got a bit… distracted by this little fellow here. Elder Pepé sent him here for, ugh... something."

"A message? From Pepé?" Enma's repeated, feeling curious. "I'll handle this, but... This does not excuse you from your assignments! Leave my sight this instant!"

Ooka-Ooka stumbled before bowing, saying, "As you command, your majesty! Have fun with the prophet, Alex. May your adventures be fruitful!"

Knowing he was in trouble, he swung out of the window, disappearing into the village outside.

Enma's gaze settled on Arthur as he inquired, "Prophet...? Tell me, young one, what did Pepé have you say was so urgent?"

Arthur remained calm, despite the towering monkey over him.

He recounted Elder Pepé's words, explaining the threat of the Ōtsutsuki clan, their potential invasion of the Cayman Jungle. He also spoke of their devastating power and hunger for natural resources, all without revealing too much.

Enma's posture grew rigid as Arthur continued to detail his own arrival from the Fire Country.

Riku marveled, and Enma remained motionless, his mind seemingly processing everything he had just heard.

Arthur waited for his response.

Would he dismiss him as a madman, or would he believe his tale?