Legacy

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." –2 Peter 3:10

Inside a spacious room sat the one man who would ensure the end of this world, Arthur Bennett.

He was seen looking at a board in which game pieces were neatly aligned in their formation. Outside the window, trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the sunlight cast patterns on the floor.

The room, simple but well-organized, offered an uninterrupted view of a calm landscape. This was a moment creeping towards normalcy, but Arthur's face remained stoic as he observed the positions of the shogi pieces.

Shogi, often referred to as Japanese chess, differed from American chess primarily in its use of captured pieces, which could be reintroduced into play by the capturing player.

Across from him sat Kimimaro. Arthur recognized Kimimaro's intensity; it reflected both respect and fear.

They had been playing shogi, a game Arthur had initially known little about. Yet, he had learned quickly under Kimimaro's tutelage, absorbing strategies and moves that had taken years for others to grasp.

Today, he sat confidently like a predator assessing its prey.

"Your moves have improved," Kimimaro commented, shifting a pawn forward. "You're quite the genius."

"I prefer to use the word 'wise,'" Arthur corrected.

Kimimaro glanced up to ask, "What's the difference, my lord?"

"Genius comes with the weight of brilliance and expectation. Wisdom is the skill in applying knowledge effectively."

Arthur then moved a piece, placing it in line with one of Kimimaro's.

"That does sound fitting," Kimimaro agreed while still in contemplation.

"How goes the search for Lars?"

Kimimaro leaned back slightly with an unchanged expression as he answered, "We've made little progress." Then he moved a piece. "I would like to apologize again for Rin and Tayuya's difficulties."

Arthur barely acknowledged the apology. He instead shifted another piece, putting Kimimaro in check. That caused Kimimaro to furrow his brow.

Arthur noticed. He always noticed. It was a subtle reminder that he was several moves ahead of everyone.

"I can assure you, my lord, that we'll find this Lars soon."

"Don't worry about that," Arthur replied in a steady tone.

Kimimaro blinked, clearly taken aback as he asked, "What do you mean, my lord?"

Arthur lifted a piece, holding it aloft, answering, "You know about my cloning project… We've accelerated the process."

Whatever colour might have been in Kimimaro's face drained. He was both happy and terrified at what those results could bring.

"They'll be ready soon," Arthur continued. "I'll have more than enough to fill the void Lars hasn't… yet."

"I see," Kimimaro said, returning to his usual calm demeanour. "So, you were recruiting yourselves?" It's then that he moved a piece, securing his defenses once more. "For what purpose, if I may ask, my lord?"

"An army…" Arthur stated flatly. He then placed his piece down, sealing the deal. "Checkmate…"

Kimimaro stared at the board. The game was over.

In succinct moves, Arthur had dismantled not just the formation of shogi pieces but also alleviated all of Kimimaro's hopes of remembering how much of an upper hand he had against others.

Later.

Inside the sterile atmosphere of the laboratory, a chamber door hissed open, releasing a cascade of liquid and gas that pooled onto the floor. The sound of the fluid splashing echoed throughout the room as the figure within emerged.

A man stepped out, wet and glistening, with his silver hair slicked back against his skull. His piercing eyes scanned the unfamiliar environment.

He then stood tall and imposing, yet vulnerable in his nakedness.

It was Kaito.

He took a moment to steady himself, shaking off the remnants of the liquid that encased him. His gaze then fell upon several figures intently watching him.

A monk stood to one side with a calm presence. Next was a businessman in a tailored suit with his arms folded. Afterwards was what looked like a martial artist with a black blindfold on. Then there was a woman in a lab coat adjusting her glasses.

But the one who commanded Kaito's attention most was a boy standing at the forefront, staring at him with an intensity that made Kaito's pulse quicken.

"You're me?" Kaito questioned as he took an unsteady step forward.

"Wrong," Arthur corrected. "It's the other way around…"

Before Kaito could process that answer, a cold, gleaming blade suddenly pressed against his throat.

The icy-hot metal revealed that it was more than just a weapon but something that could most certainly kill him in one slash.

He instinctively froze without showing any signs of fear.

Then Arthur coldly asked, "What is the first commandment?"

There was a brief pause, then Kaito recited, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

A brief moment of silence stretched between them. Kaito just stood there as he awaited the response.

Then he heard it—a relieved sigh from Brie. Her expression softened as the tension mellowed out.

"Good answer," Arthur replied, lacking any warmth. He lowered the sword and stepped back as if satisfied. "Bring him his clothes."

Without hesitation, the monk, named Ryugetsu, approached Kaito. Ryugetsu held out a simple white robe, welcoming it against Kaito's damp skin. Then he tied the signature purple rope around Kaito's waist.

"The last Kaito had it coming," Brie commented as the clone dressed itself.

"Last Kaito..." the cone repeated.

"Yes," she interjected. "The previous Kaito was… disposed of after failing his test. You're part of the second batch of clones."

She seemed to search his eyes for understanding, curious if the shock would strike him as profoundly as it had her when she first saw these many clones being birthed.

Yet to her unsurprise, he didn't even flinch. That was a good sign. The clone knew who it was and what its purpose was: to serve Arthur Bennett.

Arthur himself turned to leave, ready to move on to the next phase.

The monk observed Kaito carefully for a brief moment before placing his hands over Kaito's forehead. Chakra then coursed through Kaito's body as memories that were not his own started to flood in.

It recalled the dangerous world Arthur had once found himself in, a world filled with chakra and betrayal.

The players he had come to know, each possessing their own formidable abilities, were not just adversaries; they were like narratives crafted into his life story that left him already-healed scars.

Arthur had roamed the land, a Clan-Less player among those gifted with more than he had.

The players he faced—Jada Uchiha, Jasper Ōtsutsuki, Alexander Hyūga, William Uzumaki, Alice Yamanaka, and Margaret Senju—were not just mere challengers. They bore power behind their clan names and were enriched with talents that past generations would covet.

These talents were what Arthur, in all his brilliance, had to navigate carefully.

For the other players weren't just strong; they had foreknowledge, an advantage that made any encounter laced with unpredictability.

Yet, despite their formidable prowess, he had advantages of his own.

There was a time when Arthur had been trapped in the confines of a prison, a place that tested not just his body but his faith. He had used those dark days to cultivate himself.

Even after returning to the main village, the Leaf Village, his medical knowledge increased, he honed various Kekkei Genkai, and he delved into forbidden techniques that would have rendered lesser men insane.

Arthur didn't revel in the shadows; he simply learned to bend the rules of nature.

He had slain heroes and villains alike, with Ino and Shikamaru falling to his might in battles. Their deaths were just one of many. Then there was the time Arthur once became a ruler of an entire country, a title that many could not comprehend.

Then there was the tournament he had once held. It was a grand event that showcased the greatest fighters. Arthur didn't just partake; he had dominated, taking honours that cemented his place among legends.

However, the exhilaration of competition had stained his relationships; at one point, he had forged a business alliance with Xavier, but time and fate twisted circumstances until he found himself allied with Diana.

Diana, a woman of immense power and wealth, had become an integral part of Arthur's financial plans. Her fortune was a boon gifted by Arthur himself, which allowed her to catapult to great heights many could not imagine.

But the intricacies of Arthur's life extended far beyond alliances and wealth.

He possessed marks of the Flying raijin technique that were scattered across villages and countries. He couldn't just instantly teleport to them; he could also monitor them from safe distances.

One of his most prized possessions was the Blade of Chaos, as he called it. Such a weapon was perhaps the most potent weapon this world could create. It was a discordance of various weapons amalgamated into one, for the blade could cleave through both flesh and bones.

In the hands of an average ninja, it would have been overwhelming, but in Arthur's grip, it could carve through one's very spirit.

Yet, the most disconcerting aspect of Arthur's prowess lay in his ability to create clones—each one a fragment of his essence.

Kaito, the last of these clones, was just one piece in the grand scheme.

Amidst the pandemonium of battles and political intrigue, there lay a crucial aspect often overshadowed by the violence: Arthur's faith.

Arthur was a saved Christian, a man whose beliefs often fueled his actions and decisions. It was a unique collocation; here he was, a man skilled in the arts of war and deception, yet at his core, there was a yearning for redemption and peace.

Kaito felt those struggles as he stood amidst the torrent of memories. He pondered what Arthur might choose in the face of insurmountable odds—the legacy of a ruler or the humble plea of a saved soul.

In that moment of introspection, Kaito understood that these memories formed not just a narrative of Arthur's life but an understanding of his purpose within this realm. The clone was created to embody the essence of Arthur, yet he craved to surpass those expectations.

There was still so much in the journey ahead. Journeys that would be filled with challenges that Arthur had faced and battles that remained unconquered.

The world around Kaito spun until his mind instinctively recoiled. And as the memories settled, he opened his eyes with dawning clarity.

He then steadied himself after understanding that this amalgamation of experiences was both a gift and a burden. Through it all, the clarity of purpose began to emerge, which fueled his sense of identity.

His gaze then settled on Arthur's back, who had momentarily paused to let Kaito get caught up to speed.

Just watching Arthur's back was enough to let the clone wish to honour the legacy of Arthur, to wield the knowledge wisely, and, perhaps, to plant seeds of faith in a world that often teetered on the brink of despair.

As the clone finally embraced the past, everyone knew that the path would continue.