"Your physical endurance and adaptability suggest a lot of hard work," Arthur concluded. "But what concerns me is the disturbance in your chakra flow." It's then that he prepared a syringe filled with a clear fluid. "To correct this, I'll have to inject this substance inside through your back."
"Whoa, wait a second! Just what the heck even is that?!"
"Don't worry," Arthur assured. "I've done this with plenty of shinobi."
"I get that, but I don't feel comfortable—" Without William's consent, Arthur pressed the syringe against his skin and injected the small amount of fluid. "Ow!"
"Bear with me," Arthur urged, continuing his inspection.
"Bear with you?! You just gave me a shot without my consent!" Yet Arthur ignored him. That made William feel more exposed under the scrutiny. "What was that anyway?"
"A special serum that would help measure the fluctuation of your chakra without disrupting its flow." After scanning over the charts and reviewing the findings, he met William's gaze and said, "Good news: there were no abnormalities found, so you're cleared to return to the arena."
William smiled, having forgotten about the lack of patient consent. "Oh thanks goodness!"
"What the sensors detected was indeed a disturbance in your chakra. But it's clear that you're simply a strong shinobi relying on your own skills."
William let out a sigh of relief. "That really is some good news! So can I get back out there now?"
"Before you go, I'd like you to be wary of your chakra management. You have the potential to be exceptional, better than many, but relying too heavily on others can have repercussions."
"Thanks, Doc! I'll remember that!"
After William exited the room, a darker undertone stirred within the clinic.
The injection Arthur had administered to William's back carried a small device that was no larger than a grain of rice. And in that tiny capsule contained a Flying raijin mark!
An opportunity to have planted such a sneaky tactic might not have come again, so it was good of Arthur to deploy it regarding what may arise after this tournament ends.
Those who were aware of how dangerous it was to be marked by the Flying raijin would also understand that it was essentially game over. Those marks were permanent, and the user could always track where their mark was.
Jada had gone as far as placing one inside Naruto and also gave slips to Sasuke and Sakura in case of emergencies.
Had the others from earth been aware that Arthur knew the Flying raijin technique as well, they might have stayed more vigilant rather than trusting others.
✟
Once William stepped back into the arena, the crowd was still abuzz.
It didn't take long for a sensor to give the announcer the signal. So the announcer held up a hand to signal the crowd's attention and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, William Uzumaki has just completed his examination and is now cleared to continue the tournament!"
The audience applauded, albeit not as loudly as before. William just waved sheepishly, still a tad touched by their response.
"I guess he wasn't cheating," someone said to another.
Among the crowd, William could hear Naruto's distinctive voice rise above the rest: "I knew it! I told ya he'd be fine!" Then, with a dramatic finger, he pointed towards Neji and proclaimed, "That means you owe me a bowl of ramen now!"
"I never agreed to that!" Neji retorted.
After a few more rounds, William managed to knock Ebisu out of the ring, winning him the match.
"Fantastic!" the announcer boomed. "That means William Uzumaki will advance to the second round!"
"Congratulations on your victory." Ebisu stated, extending a hand for a firm shake. "You put up an impressive fight. I underestimated your abilities."
William accepted the hand, heartened by the recognition. "Thanks, Ebisu-sensei! You pushed me harder than I expected. That was a tough match!"
Ebisu smiled, and the two exchanged a few more friendly words before parting to their respective areas.
"What was that all about?" Anko asked after Ebisu's return.
He nodded in William's direction, who was making merry with his friends, and admitted, "I'm not entirely sure. There's something special about him, though. As a Chūnin, he already understands the fundamentals of taijutsu extraordinarily well."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, he never once gave me an opening to exploit during our fight."
Anko grinned with satisfaction. "It's nice to see we have upcoming ninjas like him then. I might want to keep my eyes more wide open."
"Absolutely," Ebisu replied, adjusting his glasses.
Meanwhile, in William's corner.
"You did well," Iruka stated.
Jada gave him a warm smile. "That was a nice fight."
"Thanks, you guys!" he exclaimed, flushed with excitement. He then turned to Naruto. "I'm just glad I could clear my name."
Margaret, with an inquisitive look on her face, couldn't help but ask, "Why do you keep emphasizing that? And did you really have to get examined? What exactly did they say to you?"
William hesitated, thinking about how to communicate to his friends about that bizarre situation.
"A medical-nin saw me, and he said my chakra levels were too high, which made it seem like there was an irregular flow leaking out or something."
"That's what you took from it?" Margaret skeptically asked, crossing her arms. "Come on, Will, are you sure that's right?"
Glancing around, William saw that he hadn't given them the complete picture. So he rubbed the back of his neck, admitting, "Well, no, that wasn't exactly what the doctor meant… It's just that… that's how I interpreted it."
"Was he a doctor or medical-nin?" Margaret pushed.
"They tend to be the same thing," Naruto added.
"No, they're—"
"Actually, Marge," Jada nodded, interrupting her, "that makes sense. Will, I think we should definitely work on your chakra control if you plan to keep growing."
The notion felt warm in William's heart because she said 'we'. The thought of training with Jada was enough to make him forget what happened in the clinic.
"Would you really help me with that?" he asked.
"Absolutely," she replied with a confident nod. "In fact, I've been wanting to work on my own control myself. Why don't we do it together when we get back?"
"I'd love that! Thank you, Jada!"
Lee, who had been listening, added with enthusiasm, "You'll be unstoppable, Will! Together, you can embrace your youth!"
"Don't forget that hard work alone isn't enough," Neji added. "You'll also need to understand your limits and find your weaknesses."
"Right." William nodded, processing everyone's words. "I'll keep that in mind."
After Arthur returned to his disguise as Hoshikaze, he was not at all surprised by the results.
Rather, it was the recent encounter that had confirmed a myriad of suspicions he had been trying to piece together.
William had indeed shown remarkable potential, yet there was something lingering beneath the surface—something Arthur sensed but couldn't quite articulate.
Despite the close proximity during the examination and Arthur's Crimson Gaze, that maliciousness chakra inside William had eluded him.
How long had it been there, hidden from everyone—including William himself? No; William had to have known it was there. And if he knew about it, then it also meant that he was keeping it a secret from others.
Arthur's instincts kicked in as he observed William with his group. Under their smiles was an unspoken tension.
'What is he hiding?' he asked himself, tightening the grip on his crossed arms. 'What's so dangerous that he can't share it with anyone?'
Suddenly, the announcer's voice rang out over the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves as we're about to begin the final match of the first round! There are only four contestants who have yet to fight: Iruka Umino, Han, Darui, and Akatsuchi!"
That's when the monitor displayed the two combatants set to battle it out: "Darui and Akatsuchi!"
Since those two were fighting next, that meant Iruka and Han would get byes.
The crowd was becoming restless, yet Arthur was still trying to process things.
'What was he hiding?' he asked himself again.
William's training under Jiraiya and others wouldn't be enough to impart what Arthur had felt. So what indeed was William 'Uzumaki' hiding?
The arena soon erupted into cheers as Darui and Akatsuchi approached their designated spots.
Arthur's attention remained rather unfazed by the sparks of their battle about to unfold. He observed William even more as the man fidgeted and exchanged light banter with his friends.
Each laugh and each roll of the eyes revealed layers to William's character—coatings that the outside world often misconstrued as simply exuberance.
But Arthur had his ways of determining William's secret.