Chapter 12: The Soul Arena
After a match where the outcome was never in doubt, Uchiha Sasuke was quickly carried away from the training grounds on a stretcher by the medical team.
The graduation exams had finally concluded.
In that moment, the way everyone looked at Ren Arakawa was now tinged with a newfound respect, even fear. This was especially true for the students who had once bullied him; they huddled within the crowd, trembling uncontrollably. The sight of Ren relentlessly pummeling Uchiha Sasuke for over ten minutes had instilled a deep-seated terror in their hearts. They feared Ren would come for them next, just as he had for Sasuke today.
[Minato Namikaze: That poor boy, Sasuke. I just overheard one of the medics say he might have even lost control of his bowels from the beating. I wonder if there will be any... lasting effects.]
[Yuhi Kurenai: This is a perfect example of 'pride comes before a fall.']
[Uchiha Mikoto: My Sasuke... Waaaaaah!]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Mikoto, don't cry! I'm sure Sasuke will be fine!]
[Hyuga Hizashi: Hmm, I observed him just now with my Byakugan. Sasuke's bone structure is exceptional; he's a natural martial prodigy. An injury like this is nothing serious. At worst, he might be partially paralyzed or suffer from incontinence, but he certainly won't die.]
[Minato Namikaze: You call that 'nothing serious'?!]
[Uchiha Mikoto: Waaaaah!]
Witnessing Uchiha Sasuke's brutal defeat, the Konoha elders in the stream did their best to comfort the distraught Mikoto. Fugaku Uchiha, rendered mute by the system, could only suffer in silence, praying in the Pure Land that his son would at least retain his ability to have children.
Ren left the academy immediately after the assessment. Walking through the bustling streets of Konoha, watching the villagers go about their lives, he was experiencing the village's prosperity firsthand. This peace and stability was perhaps the greatest achievement of Hiruzen Sarutobi's reign. Compared to the situations in other ninja villages, life in Konoha was indeed comfortable.
[Hashirama Senju: I never imagined the village would become so prosperous. It seems this Hokage has done an excellent job!]
[Tobirama Senju: Streamer, let me ask you: is the current Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi?]
Ren Arakawa: "Yes, it is him."
[Tobirama Senju: Not bad. He has managed the village very well. It seems I made the right choice back then.]
[Hashirama Senju: Oh? I'm surprised you passed the title to the Sarutobi boy. I thought you might have chosen Danzō.]
[Tobirama Senju: Danzō has his qualities, but he hesitates at critical moments. He lacks the resolve to be Hokage.]
[Hashirama Senju: So you actually took the time to test both of them before making your decision?]
Tobirama Senju fell silent. He would never admit to his older brother that the decision had been made in a moment of desperate improvisation.
[Hyuga Hizashi: Sigh... The peace the village enjoys now was hard-won.]
Seeing the village's current state, even Hizashi Hyuga, who had died for Konoha, couldn't help but sigh.
[Uchiha Madara: A stable life only breeds complacency and stifles ambition. I don't see that as a good thing.]
[Tobirama Senju: Madara, you just can't stand to see the village doing well, can you?]
[Uchiha Izuna: Tobirama, watch your mouth!]
[Tobirama Senju: I'm merely stating facts. A defeated opponent like you has no right to offer opinions.]
[Uchiha Izuna: Damn you...! I was just careless back then! If we fought again, I would definitely not lose to you!]
[Tobirama Senju: Preposterous! A life-and-death battle, and you want a rematch? How many resurrection tokens do you think you have?]
Ren Arakawa: "Actually, it's not impossible for the two of you to have a one-on-one rematch."
[Uchiha Izuna: Streamer, are you serious? We're both spirits now. Do you truly have a way for us to fight again?]
Ren Arakawa: "Of course. I have a place here called the Soul Arena. It can perfectly facilitate a duel to settle your personal grudge."
[Uchiha Madara: Izuna, don't believe him. This kid just wants to squeeze something out of you.]
"It seems Lord Madara was a perceptive man in life," Ren said, not at all bothered that his scheme had been exposed. Instead, he smiled and began explaining the function of the Soul Arena. "Within the Soul Arena, you can fight to your heart's content without any real-world consequences. You can even choose the battlefield. However, if you wish to settle your grudges there, you must pay an entrance fee. As for the price... I'm sure you understand."
"Also, if you become a VIP member like Minato, your admission is free. But that free entry is only once per day. If you want to enter a second time, you'll need to upgrade your VIP level. VIP Level 2 grants two entries per day, VIP Level 3 grants three, and so on. Reaching VIP Level 8 will even grant you two bonus entries. So, don't you want to become a member?"
This membership system wasn't an inherent function of the live stream but something Ren had concocted himself. In essence, it was just a title within the broadcast. His claims about entry limits were complete nonsense; if he wanted to, he could let them enter ten thousand times a day. He held absolute control over this live stream; he was its god.
However, the "Soul Arena" itself wasn't a fabrication. It was a new feature that had appeared in the live stream interface after he received the donations from Minato Namikaze. Ren suspected that the Undead Live Stream System he possessed was likely just in its initial stages. As his strength continued to grow, new functions would probably keep unlocking.