Deep Forest Emergence

The light breeze brushed across the open field as Arthur and Kaito appeared, having successfully teleported to a secluded area far from the Rain Village.

In that expansive space, the clouds hung low and were laden with rain that seemed ready to burst at any moment. However, what drew the eye most was Arthur—now transformed into John Belfort.

"There's always a chance we can take them down," Kaito suggested as he scanned the area.

Before Arthur could respond, the ground shifted beneath them, and Zetsu erupted from the earth.

"Hiding your form again, Arthur?" White Zetsu teased. There was a clear sign of mistrust in its voice. "You know I can see right through you."

In truth, Zetsu was merely sizing Arthur up, of which both were clearly aware.

Arthur simply glanced at Kaito before gesturing toward him and saying, "As I promised, Kaito will join the Akatsuki…"

Zetsu regarded Kaito skeptically as he scrutinized the newcomer. Then Black Zetsu asked, "There are tons of impostors out there, so how do we know this is the real Kaito?"

Kaito took a step forward and raised his hand. In an instant, chains of chakra erupted from the ground, ensnaring Zetsu in a tight embrace. The creature's eyes widened in surprise as it now found itself immobilized.

"That enough for you?" Kaito answered.

"Alright, alright!" White Zetsu relented. "We believe you now; it seems you really are Kaito!"

"Yes," Black Zetsu said in a deepened tone. "These chakra chains are his signature technique. I can see the Sand Village was wrong in believing he was dead."

As Kaito released the chains with a wave of his hand, Zetsu regained his composure and began to approach him, asking, "So, are you serious about joining the Akatsuki then?"

"My only objective is to remain hidden for as long as I can from the world," Kaito responded. "Joining the Akatsuki is simply a means to an end."

Black Zetsu seemed caught off guard by this revelation as it said, "Then what about Orochimaru? Surely this power of yours is valuable to him as well."

"I'm not affiliated with Orochimaru," Kaito firmly replied. "I act on my own volition."

The admission made something clear—Kaito was beyond perfect for the Akatsuki.

Before the conversation could delve deeper into plans and strategies, they all felt movement on the horizon. And just as Kaito turned to catch a better glimpse, a sudden figure leaped into their vicinity and landed—a woman with red hair and a fierce look in her eyes.

Black Zetsu lightly chuckled, "Well, isn't this a surprise." Then White Zetsu playfully asked, "Isn't that the Senju from the Leaf Village?"

"Yeah…" Arthur slowly answered, keeping his back turned to her.

"It's you!" Margaret exclaimed while pointing directly at Kaito as if she had unearthed the deepest secret. "I knew it!"

Kaito didn't even bother regarding her sudden arrival. Instead, he turned back to Zetsu and said, "I'll meet you in the Rain Village…"

"Not so fast!" Margaret warned, stepping closer. "You're not going anywhere!"

Her expression soured as she saw Zetsu descending back toward the earth with his characteristic languidness.

"Like that's gonna work!" she said, slamming her palms to the floor. As wood tendrils raced toward the two, there was a flash before they were all cut down. "What?!"

All she could see was Arthur holding a peculiar long blade. It dematerialized just as quickly as it appeared.

Zetsu fully submerged into the earth, escaping from the scene while Kaito teleported away. Whatever Arthur's case was with this girl, it had nothing to do with him. But if anyone knew Zetsu, it loved to hide and collect data while watching others fight.

"I had a feeling you were working with the Akatsuki!" she accused. "But to think Kaito was alive…"

As Arthur slowly turned to face Margaret, there was an electric tension between them. He was in the guise of John Belfort, yet his eyes were just as cold and methodical.

"Why are you here of all places?" he asked.

"And what about you?!" she mocked. "You're not even famous enough to be dealing with the Akatsuki."

He could understand why she said this; it was because John Belfort was never recorded in the narrative from the original timeline. To her, he was no more than some wannabe filler villain.

"It's quite strange to go underneath my senses," Arthur commented. "People of your talents are rare indeed. Why continue serving under a village that doesn't know how to raise your skills when you can join me instead?"

"Get real!" Margaret countered. "Like you have anything I want."

Arthur's voice was steady, almost indifferent as he said, "Go home then, Margaret…"

She laughed and challenged, "Why are you backing down from me? Once I'm done with you, I'm going after the whole Akatsuki!"

"You're far too weak to fight them yourself," Arthur coolly replied.

Then the muscles on his jaw slightly tighten.

"Who're you to tell me that?!" she jeered.

"Margaret, you don't even know what I've been through to get here."

"What you've been through?!" she spat, fists clenching in frustration. "I don't even know who you are!"

"Hmph… I expected you to say that… From this moment then, I'll show you why I'm to be feared."

With that, Margaret shifted into a battle stance and said, "Right back at you!"

They both ran toward each other. Margaret initiated the clash with a series of hooks aimed at Arthur's head and body. He dodged to the left and then to the right while slipping past her fists as if dancing.

Her speed picked up, but he responded indefinitely.

He then caught one of her fists, causing a booming noise throughout the field.

She was taken aback by the strength in his grip. But he, leveraging the moment, shifted his weight and flipped her. Mid-flip, she quickly unleashed a countermeasure.

"Wood style: wood spikes ring!"

A semi-circle of wooden spikes sprang forth around Arthur and attempted to trap him within its grasp. He scoffed and with one swift hand swipe, he shattered the spikes as easily as if they were made of twigs.

When the dust settled, Margaret landed on the ground. Now she understood why Naruto had struggled against this man.

Arthur then lunged at her, but she reacted quickly with a hand sign.

"Wood style: domed wall jutsu!"

A wooden dome erupted around her in an attempt to shield her from his impending attack. He smashed through the dome as if it were made of paper.

The two engaged once more in a flurry of punches as sounds of strikes and dodges echoed in the clearing.

Margaret soon became aware that Arthur's taijutsu was unlike anything she had faced before. Pulling back, she decided to switch tactics.

"Wood style: cutting sprigs jutsu!"

After conjuring a sharp, wooden spike, she hurled it toward him. Arthur stood still, and it pierced through his shoulder.

When it landed, Margaret smirked. However, the satisfaction was fleeting. In a puff of smoke, Arthur vanished—the Substitution technique.

"Behind!" she instinctively shouted, turning just in time to block his punch.

"All those wood techniques, and you don't even know how to use them properly," he taunted.

Margaret couldn't help but feel anger at his mocking words.

"You think you're so clever!" Grinning, she pulled his hand to her chest, executing a hand sign using his grip to achieve it. "Fire style: grand dragon flame jutsu!"

A fireball erupted forth from her mouth and took the form of a dragon's head at point-blank range.

Arthur quickly hopped back in time and narrowly avoided the initial attack as it incinerated the ground where he'd just stood. But Margaret was relentless, so she fired off several more while keeping her focus up.

He began to navigate the field, hopping from one side to the other and dodging each dragon flame as they burst forth. Just one was enough to shake the earth beneath their feet.

"Is that all you've got?" he intoned over the roaring flames.

That comment angered her further; she clapped her hands upon seeing him land.

"Wood style: wood dragon jutsu!"

A gigantic wooden dragon erupted from the ground and raced to ensnare him.

Arthur dodged by first jumping and twisting in mid-air to evade it before landing back on the ground. The dragon then pivoted to chase him. If it touched him, it would surely start draining his chakra. But he had more than one way to combat it.

'Water style: water dragon jutsu…'

Two giant, gleaming water dragons were summoned to collide with the wooden beast. They danced against each other, but the wood dragon prevailed and caused rain to sprinkle around the upheaval.

Then it charged at Arthur with renewed ferocity.

"It's over!" Margaret yelled, exultation shining in her eyes as the wooden dragon bore down on him amidst the rain.

But unbeknownst to her, this was only part of his plan.

'Ice style: a thousand needles of death…'

The air around him turned frigid as he witnessed the wooden dragon close in. And the moment the creature reached him, ice crystals erupted forth, piercing through its wooden structure.

The dragon was impaled from all sides as it faltered, showering the battlefield in shards of ice and wood.

Margaret chuckled darkly and said, "I was going to make your death quick and painless." Then she clasped her hands again. "Wood style: deep forest emergence!"

The earth quaked as dense trees erupted from the ground and sprouted upward. In but a moment's time, the battlefield was transformed into a vast, tangled forest with roots and branches obscuring vision.

"But let me remind you who's in charge here," she finished.

Arthur, remaining calm in the center of the forest, cracked his neck with one hand. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, he dashed forward into the wall of trees and foliage.

Margaret's grin widened as she soared after him while dodging branches and honing in on his chakra.

"Don't think you can hide!" she shouted, gathering chakra for another move. "Wood style: wood pillar!"

Tall, sharp pillars thrust from the ground, aiming for his position. They rushed like serpents in pursuit, but Arthur reacted with a flick of his wrist, effortlessly sidestepping and weaving through them.

Just as she prepared for his next move, he suddenly darted to her left, finding a gap in the wood that allowed him to slip between the trunks and evade her onslaught.

Yet he was still inside her forest.

"Too slow…" he jeered, but she wouldn't let him get too far.

"You won't escape!"

With a hand sign, she summoned a barrage of wooden tendrils seeking to ensnare him. But he was resolute; he dashed forward and targeted her position. In a spectacular display of speed, he lunged at her and unleashed a vicious punch aimed at her midsection.

Margaret barely managed to pivot sideways just as the blow grazed her, forcing her to stagger as she drew back.

"Wow!" she commented.

Arthur could tell by the look in her eyes that she was genuinely taken aback by his increased speed. Yet at only a couple of feet from him, she found room to counterattack.

"Get back..." Arthur said, swiping his arm.

The force caused enough wind to send her stumbling back. When she recovered, she quickly pulled out a short sword with a confident grin.

Then she lunged forward just as he summoned a sword of his own. Their blades clashed, sending a sharp ring in the forest. Arthur had met her strike before parrying her blow. This made her growl as she pressed the attack. Yet he first side-stepped and then dodged.

When he aimed several swipes of his own, she managed to dodge each one while countering with her own thrusts.

In a sudden move, he knocked the sword from her hand. The impact sent it flying, but she hadn't faltered; a quick cut across her arm had appeared. She had winced briefly, but the wound had instantly closed—her passive healing trait.

"Guess I wasn't that good with weapons like Jada said," she had muttered, unfazed.

The tension only increased as Arthur dematerialized his weapon. Both were ready for the other's next moves.