Swinging from branch to branch, the two delved even deeper into the jungle as the air continued to grow thicker with humidity.
This time, Arthur was certain that they weren't going around in circles.
"Orangi," he called. "How much further?"
Ooka-Ooka slowed down a little to rumble, "Patience, little Alex. The heart of the Cayman Jungle is a place of secrets. Elder Pepé resides somewhere most primates wouldn't find him." Then he looked back with a feral grin. "Not a place easily found by prophets."
"I told you, I'm not a—"
"Now keep up!"
The relentless canopies finally gave way to a rise in elevation. Ooka-Ooka, still navigating, led Arthur to the base of a mountain where rocks were shrouded in mist. The air here felt different as a strange scent of minerals carried in the now-cooled wind.
With a nod, Ooka-Ooka began the ascent with ape-like ease. Arthur, less accustomed to such a climb, still found himself keeping pace thanks to his chakra.
Halfway up the mountain, the mist grew thicker. Visibility dwindled to a mere few feet.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached a plateau.
The air here was surprisingly clearer, but ahead, there was a wall of white vapour. The scent of it was strong, unlike anything Arthur had ever encountered.
'Crimson gaze…'
What he saw was that the vapour had an almost tangible energy. It felt off—not exactly chakra, but something more potent.
"Elder Pepé's clearing lies beyond this wall," Ooka-Ooka revealed. "Just walk through like me!"
When the primate walked forward, he seemingly disappeared. Even Arthur's Kekkei Genkai could no longer see him.
Arthur deactivated his Crimson Gaze and did the same.
His vision was covered in mist as he walked forward. Then after a few seconds, the white finally subsided, revealing Ooka-Ooka a few feet away.
Things were still quite hazy.
After confirming Arthur had made it through, Ooka-Ooka pounded his chest twice as the sound echoed through the air.
Arthur watched the mist around him grow before suddenly swirling and churning violently. A low moan, like the rumble of an earthquake, then shook whatever platform they were standing on.
As the mist finally began to recede, a breathtaking vista unfolded before Arthur's eyes.
Large redwoods encircled a vast, steaming pool in the clearing, but the sight that truly stole Arthur's breath away was the colossal being nestled within a hot spring: a Japanese macaque!
Its head, easily over a hundred feet tall, protruded from the steaming water as its eyes gazed upon them with a calmness that belied its immense size. The rest of its body remained submerged while the steam obscuring its lower half.
A talking orangutan was one thing, but this? This was a creature only read about in fiction tales. And if the size of this snow monkey was impressive, the size of a Tailed Beast would render the others from earth speechless.
Ooka-Ooka swung his arm toward the macaque and screeched, "Behold, little Alex! Elder Pepé, the wisest in the Cayman Jungles!"
A rumble echoed through the clearing from the macaque as its amber eyes shifted to meet Arthur's gaze.
"So," its voice boomed, "a visitor from another land arrives. What reason do you have for being here?"
Arthur had only needed a second to compose himself. "I come with a message of great importance, Elder Pepé."
The giant macaque's gaze remained steady. "Do your words merit disrupting the tranquility of the Jungle? Speak this message, young one."
"Esteemed elder, my dwelling isn't too far off. But the reason for my being here is because the whole world is under threat."
From there, Arthur elaborated on a story of the Ōtsutsuki clan and their tendency to strip entire worlds of their natural resources. He even went as far as using Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's name. Most importantly, he warned of the clan's potential return and how their jungle could become the next target for their exploitation.
Elder Pepé had listened to the whole tale. But the real question was whether or not he believed it.
"Young one… How is it you know of these... Ōtsutsuki?"
"I just do... If you find me full of any guile, then do with me what you will."
Elder Pepé's gaze remained fixed on him. Then, with a sigh so vast it seemed to stir the very air around them, Pepé boomed, "You speak the truth... The flow of your chakra... it shows no lie."
'Deception?' Arthur thought. 'I see… So it was measuring my chakra to see if I was lying or not.'
"However," it continued, "telling the truth does not always guarantee aid."
"I ask then, esteemed elder, that I might train here before their arrival."
"We are a peaceful race, young one. Our ways revolve around maintaining the balance of this sacred place."
Arthur became slightly disappointed. He had only come this far so as to get stronger. Surely there had to be something in here.
"But," Elder Pepé added, "the future is a capricious thing. Perhaps there is another who might lend an ear. Ooka-Ooka, take this young visitor to king Enma."
Enma? There was only one Enma in this world: Hiruzen's personal summon. Now things made sense. This hidden realm, the Cayman Jungle, was Enma's home.
Before Arthur could voice his question, the giant macaque slowly dove back into the spring with a splash that rattled the clearing. The mist then swirled, leaving only the echoing rumble of its descent.
Ooka-Ooka finally let out a low whistle. "Well, little Alex, it looks like ya weren't lying after all."
"Of course, I wasn't. But how would you have known?"
"Elder Pepé's eyes can look through anyone's chakra, ya see." Then the primate gestured with two fingers, bringing them close to its eyes. "Just the smallest disturbance of it will let 'em know if someone's lyin'."
Why would Arthur ever lie? He spoke the truth and nothing but the truth. Their jungle truly was in danger of a great darkness. Not from the Ōtsutsuki clan, but from him.
"Now, about this king..." he asked.
Ooka-Ooka chuckled. "Our king isn't someone ya just meet out of the blue." It then turned and began walking down the mountain. "We must journey to our village first."
Arthur paced after him.
From what he knew about Enma, he was a grumpy companion. But despite his gruffness, he was fiercely protective of Hiruzen. He was also aware of the affairs that took place inside the Leaf Village.
His true power lay in his shapeshifting abilities. He could transform into a powerful staff, known as the 'Adamantine Staff,' which was strong enough to push back a Tailed Beast.
After Hiruzen died, Enma was not seen again until the Fourth World War.
This was simply too good to be true.
Ooka-Ooka eventually led him on a descent down the mountainside. Then after a few minutes of endless jumping, the canopy thickened again to reveal an interesting sight.
Nestled amidst the redwoods lay a civilization of primates. Huts made of leaves and branches lined the pathways, with smoke curling from their roofs. Even the streets teemed with activity as spider monkeys swung from ropes, baboons lumbered on the ground, and smaller primates scurried around.
"Welcome to the heart of the Cayman Jungle," Ooka-Ooka said, gesturing toward the town. "The home of yours truly!"
The diversity of the primate population was astounding.
Long-nosed proboscis monkeys with snouts hovered on platforms, three-hundred-foot-tall giant gorillas strolled like guards, and gibbons with long arms traversed gaps between the structures.
Just the colours of their foliage was nothing compared to the Leaf Village.
Arthur kept himself steadfast. Perhaps, just perhaps, he wouldn't destroy them.
As he finished taking everything in, he finally asked, "Where's Enma?"
Ooka-Ooka chuckled. "Slow down there, little Alex. There's something called a protocol."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, I know just the guy to get ya started."
The primate then grabbed Arthur's arm with surprising strength and steered him toward a building larger than the others. Its roof was adorned with carvings of intertwined branches. A banner also fluttered in the breeze above the entrance.
"That's the Royal Registry," Ooka-Ooka explained. "We'll need to list you as a visitor before ya can have an audience with the king."
Ooka-Ooka then pushed open the wooden doors and ushered Arthur inside.
Rows upon rows of scrolls lined the walls, all labeled and stored on wooden shelves.
A lone mandrill with reading glasses was hunched over a massive desk piled high with papers as it read its book. When it saw them, it peered up at their entrance with an inquisitive expression.
"Ooka-Ooka," the mandrill grumbled with a voice deeper than Arthur had expected. "What brings you to the esteemed halls of the Registry today?"
"Greetings, Registrar Riku. I've brought a prophet. Needs to be added to the list, stat."
Arthur ignored being called a prophet again as Riku's eyes narrowed on him.
"Don't waste my time with riddles, Ooka-Ooka," said Riku. "Spit out what you mean."
As such, Ooka-Ooka gestured for Arthur to come closer. When Arthur did, he felt severely out of place amidst the bureaucratic order.
"You can call me Alex. I've already spoken with your elder."
Riku froze for a brief moment before slowly setting his book down. Then his gaze returned to Ooka-Ooka. "Elder Pepé tends to get fanciful after a good soak, so it seems."
Ooka-Ooka roared with enough laughter that it shook the scrolls on the shelves. "Come now, Registrar Riku! Don't be so dismissive. The elder wouldn't send someone here without a reason."
The two primates then bickered back and forth with playful shoves that seemed more like friendly roughhousing than actual aggression. Arthur wasn't unsure he should intervene or not.
Finally, a noise boomed: "Silence!"
When Arthur looked, Enma had entered the room.
He knew it was him based on appearance alone: long white hair and a goatee that complemented his white fur-trimmed black outfit. And by the look on his face, he had had enough of the ruckus.
"Ooka-Ooka, you have returned," he growled, "Yet I see no food in your hands…"
Ooka-Ooka chuckled sheepishly. "Forgive me, your majesty! I wound up bumpin' into a prophet—and ugh… Elder Pepé sent him here for, ugh... something."
Now Enma was visibly angry. "You dare make excuses after I sent you to forage food?! Out of my sight this instance!"
Ooka-Ooka stumbled comically before bowing. "As you command, your majesty!" Then he waved to Arthur while running out the door. "Hope to see you again, little Alex!"
Enma's gaze finally settled on Arthur. "I take it you are this Alex the troublemaker spoke of?"
Arthur remained calm. "Glad to know not all of you are like Orangi, your majesty."
Enma smirked.