Terror

This was it. The turning point.

Elder Pepé's massive head sank back under the surface. His voice could be heard from the depths, echoing across the mountaintop.

"Listen well, little one," he boomed. "The key to learning Simian Sage Mode lies in balance. Within this spring lies a potent concentration of natural energy. You must learn to intertwine this energy with your own chakra, creating a blend that empowers rather than consumes."

He paused, allowing Arthur to absorb the knowledge.

"The water will be scorching. So much so that those who cannot bear it are not worthy of learning to harness our Sage Mode. It will push against your defenses and test your resolve. But remember, it is not your enemy… It is a its own force."

Arthur nodded, waiting until the giant macaque was finished.

"Understanding is one thing, doing is another… Should you lose control, should the natural energy begin to consume you… I will intervene and bring you to the surface."

The concept was simple to understand: failure wasn't an option. Not just for his own sake, but for the sake of the other players.

Without another word, he peeled off his jacket. He stood there for a moment, letting the steam race across his skin. Then he plunged in.

The impact was like being punched by a heated fist. The water was scoldingly hot, far beyond anything he'd ever experienced. It felt like his skin was on fire and every nerve ending was screaming in protest.

But he gritted his teeth, pushing through the discomfort.

He wasn't here to die; he was here to perfect a powerful technique and become stronger.

His eyes opened as he relaxed himself, the initial pain subsiding. The water was clear. He couldn't just see it; he could also feel it—an overwhelming presence of energy swirling around trying to enter his body.

This was natural energy!

He slowly closed his eyes again, focusing on his chakra. The energy within him sought to rage out, so he cautiously attempted to draw a slither of it towards his own chakra.

The effect was immediate. As if sensing his intent, the natural energy surged towards him, threatening to engulf his smaller, more controlled chakra.

Remaining calm, he fought it down.

He couldn't let fear overwhelm him. He had to maintain balance and control. He pushed his chakra outward, urging it to absorb the energy at a controlled pace.

The process was agonizingly slow.

Each time he managed to integrate a small amount of natural energy with his chakra, a wave of power coursed through him. It felt intoxicating and exhilarating, but he knew it was a dangerous path to complete integration.

Seconds felt like hours.

His body ached from the heat, and his mind was clouded by the sheer intensity of the natural energy. His very eyes had become muted, as if he were in a deep unconscious state.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp tug on his left side. He opened his eyes, only to see a giant arm with long brown hair wave across the water. It was his arm!

Was he losing control so soon? Indeed. Arthur was already beginning to transform. He looked away, focusing back on the energy within him.

Now was not the time to panic, but the water began to feel heavy. He could hear a low growl, undeniably primal, emanating from somewhere deep within him.

His heart pounded. It was like wrestling with an invisible force.

He forced himself to relax, to let faith guide him. He visualized his chakra as a dam, holding back the relentless tide of natural energy.

Slowly and painstakingly, he began integrating the natural energy at a much slower rate. This time, he focused on quality over quantity, drawing in a tiny amount and refining it before incorporating it into his chakra.

It was a laborious process, like separating gold from a pan of sand, but it seemed to be working.

The energy lessened its aggression, responding tentatively to his careful manipulation, giving him a sense of calmness. But he was still far from perfecting it.

The only thing he had managed to do was make a connection—a nascent understanding of what Sage Mode truly was.

Suddenly, a searing pain erupted in his left arm again. He looked down to see a patch of fur growing rapidly. That partial transformation hadn't reverted!

Before his vision could completely blur, he was pulled out of the spring. He coughed and sputtered as he broke the surface, gasping for air.

Arthur forced himself to his knees, the transformation retreating as the influx of natural energy stopped. His left arm remained partially furred, a reminder of his near failure.

"You… almost lost control," Elder Pepé announced from the depths. It was he who had resurfaced Arthur.

"How long had I been down there?"

"Two days…"

He felt shame and frustration. He had come close. Yet because of one wrong move—a lapse in his focus—he couldn't protect himself against that raw energy.

He rose to his feet and said one word before plunging back into the spring: "Again."

Twenty-four hours later.

Time itself seemed distorted within the scalding embrace of the hot spring. Yet, Arthur remained submerged.

He was indeed exhausted—a constant ache that threatened to overwhelm his resolve. His skin, perpetually wrinkled from the heat, was now blistered in some places.

But amidst the pain, a change had occurred.

The thin, downy fur that had begun to sprout across his arms had grown longer, becoming a light brown that sharpened with his skin. More importantly was the natural energy—no longer an invisible force, but a harmonious presence pulsing in sync with his own chakra!

Finally, he could take it no longer. His lungs burned for air.

With a final surge of willpower, Arthur propelled himself upwards, breaching the surface of the spring in a gasp.

He collapsed onto the rocky ledge, his chest heaving back and forth.

As his vision cleared, the first thing he felt was the change in his eyes. The whites had receded, replaced by an obsidian black. Within them, his irises glowed a colourful amber, like miniature moons reflecting the night sky.

His arms, still covered in the light brown fur, felt strangely different, lighter yet stronger. He clenched his fists and felt the power coursing through him.

More so, he could feel the entire jungle around him. His senses had been amplified a hundredfold. He could smell the scent of other creatures miles away, hear the rustling of leaves caused by a distant rodent, and feel the earth's vibrations as a predator stalked its prey.

Everything around him now seemed alien. Why was that exactly?

Because Arthur had achieved Simian Sage Mode!1

A rumble could be felt from the depths of the springs. Slowly, Elder Pepé's massive head reappeared.

"You… have succeeded," he boomed. "Few have ever shown such dedication and control."

Arthur remained silent with his gaze fixed on his own palms. He ignored Elder Pepé, feeling that cold, calculating resolve within him.

He had come for power, and he had obtained it. Now, it was time to put it to use.

Without warning, he turned his body into a swirling vortex of smoke. This wasn't ordinary smoke; it was a product of Sage Mode.

'Sage art: body oxidation jutsu…'

Sage chakra imbued his very being. Before Elder Pepé could even react, Arthur launched himself forward. The cloud zoomed towards the giant primate, engulfing his massive head in a choking embrace. A shriek of pain then echoed through the valley—a sound unlike anyone had ever heard!

From within the cloud, a sizzling sound followed, signifying the technique taking effect. After a gut-wrenching moment, the cloud dissipated, revealing a horrifying sight: Elder Pepé's massive head hung limply.

His once giant face was twisted in a grotesque mask of agony. It was a terrible sight, a reminder of the power Arthur now wielded.

Arthur, reformed, stood tall on the rocky ledge with no emotions on his face.

His eyes' black sclera and amber iris shone like those of a predator. He could make the impossible possible now.

Elder Pepé's massive head thumped onto the ledge with a thud. The sight was horrifying, but Arthur already understood his actions in slaying an elder of a realm.

Elder Pepé was the very being who had bestowed upon him this immense power. Did he care? The chilling lucidity was fleeting; the power of Sage mode was too intoxicating for him to think otherwise.

It filled the void of any found regret. The death of Elder Pepé was for the greater good.

Arthur kicked the grotesque head with his newfound strength. It tumbled off the ledge, bouncing once on the rocky slope before plunging into the steaming depths of the spring below.

A gurgling sound erupted from the water, then silence.

He stood there for a moment, knowing that that there was no turning back.

Time was his enemy now.

He focused inward, gauging the remnants of Sage Chakra coursing through his veins. An estimate of half an hour at best could be used until he needed to regather the natural energy again.

Half an hour in Sage Mode was more than enough to finish his plans.

The power he now possessed felt absolute, unparalleled. His senses, sharpened by Sage Mode, saw a vivid picture of the surrounding jungle.

He could hear the very wind through the leaves, smell the musky scent of distant animals, and even feel the subtle tremours of the earth as nocturnal creatures scuttled through the undergrowth.

His vision, too, had undergone a dramatic change. He could see through the foliage as if it were mere transparent film; the entire mountain slope lay bare before him.

Surely, Naruto's Toad Sage Mode or Kabuto's Snake Sage Mode couldn't compare.

There, nestled amongst the canopy, he spotted it—the village; the home of the primates.

His objective was clear. He had eliminated their elder. Now was the time to deal with the rest.

They were all threats to his self-proclaimed mission to destroy this world.

Arthur once said that his goal was to protect, but he never specified what he was protecting. It was obvious—he was the one in need of protection, protection from the evil that plagued this virtual world.

With a single powerful leap, propelled by his enhanced strength, he launched himself from the ledge.

Everything in him anticipated what was to come as he flew above the treetops. The once harmonious connection with the jungle—the sense of wonder and belonging—had been replaced by his predatorial instinct.

He landed silently on a thick branch overlooking the village.

Below, the inhabitants slumbered peacefully in their wooden huts, nestled amidst the trees. They were oblivious to him lurking above—the "prophet" turned destroyer.

Two massive gorillas, each easily exceedingly tall, patrolled the perimeter. These were the guards of their society that he had seen when he first arrived.

Ordinary brute force wouldn't suffice. He needed a more tactical approach to cripple the village's defenses before they even knew what hit them.

'Sage art: body oxidation jutsu.'

Arthur launched forward like a swirling vortex of smoke towards the nearest giant.

The smoke, propelled by Sage Mode's enhanced speed, reached its target in a blink. There was no explosion, no dramatic impact. The smoke simply flowed around the giant gorilla's massive body, seemingly harmless.

But within the gorilla, there was a shift.

The corrosive effect of the technique worked almost instantly, targeting the gorilla's very essence.

After a moment, it let out a roar. The gorilla, its face contorted in pain, lashed out with its massive fist, slamming it into the other gorilla's chest.

"Jojo!" the second gorilla said, caught completely off guard. "What is the meaning of this?!"

The gorilla roared back in fury before it retaliated with a swipe of its arm, sending the first gorilla staggering back.

Confusion turned into blind rage as the two titans began pummeling each other. Arthur had long exit the gorilla's body. He now had his arms crossed, watching the scene from a safe distance.

The gorillas fought with primal fury, each blow raining down with devastating force.

The ground trembled under their colossal weight, and trees snapped like twigs caught in a hurricane. The terrified screams of the smaller primates living within the village filled the scene, adding to the destruction.

From his vantage point, Arthur weaved through the carnage.

He targeted specific weaknesses he could detect with his enhanced senses. With pinpoint accuracy, he dispatched the smaller primates, his attacks swift and merciless.

His Simian Sage Mode far exceeded anything the primates possessed. He was slaying them with absolute terror!