Chapter 2: The King, the Punk, and the Broke Ninja
Tokyo was enormous.
That was Naruto Uzumaki's first conclusion after spending several hours exploring the city.
His second conclusion was that whoever designed this place had apparently decided that ordinary buildings weren't tall enough and had started constructing mountains out of glass and steel instead.
His third conclusion?
He was absolutely, completely, spectacularly screwed.
"Man, what am I supposed to do now?"
Seventeen-year-old Naruto sat on the edge of a tall building, his legs dangling over the side as he gazed across the illuminated city.
Night had fallen over Tokyo, transforming the metropolis into an ocean of artificial lights. Neon signs decorated towering buildings. Traffic flowed through the streets like rivers of glowing red and white. Thousands of people crowded the sidewalks, moving between restaurants, shops, and entertainment establishments.
It was impressive.
Naruto would even have called it beautiful.
Unfortunately, beautiful cities did very little to solve the problem of being stranded in another universe.
He leaned backward, resting his hands against the rooftop.
"Okay. Let's go over this again."
He had arrived in Japan near a mountain called Fuji.
He had met a martial artist named Guy, who was apparently a ninja or something close to one.
He had discovered that ordinary people in this world possessed remarkably weak life forces compared with people from his homeland.
And, most importantly, he had learned that the geography of this world was completely different.
Naruto reached into his pocket and unfolded a map he had acquired earlier.
It was a world map.
A very colorful, extremely detailed world map.
And it was completely useless.
Not because Naruto couldn't read maps. Jiraiya had made certain he understood geography, navigation, and the importance of knowing where he was going.
The problem was that absolutely nothing on this map matched anything Naruto knew.
"Asia, Europe, Africa, America..." he muttered, studying the continents.
The names meant nothing.
The shapes were wrong.
Even the oceans were arranged differently.
He had spent nearly an hour comparing the map with what he remembered of the Elemental Nations.
There was no Land of Fire.
No Land of Wind.
No Land of Earth.
No Land of Lightning.
No Land of Water.
Not even a tiny little Hidden Leaf Village tucked away somewhere in the mountains.
He had checked.
Twice.
"Yeah," Naruto sighed. "Definitely another world."
The realization was depressing.
And extremely inconvenient.
Naruto had traveled across considerable distances before, but this journey had been particularly unusual.
After reaching a railway station, he had witnessed one of the strangest machines he had ever encountered.
A train.
Not the slow, primitive sort of transport he had heard about during missions.
This thing was a sleek metallic monster capable of carrying hundreds of passengers at astonishing speeds.
Naturally, Naruto had wanted to ride it.
Unfortunately, the attendant had wanted something called a ticket.
Naruto had money.
Just not money anybody here recognized.
After several failed attempts at explaining this problem, he had decided on a perfectly reasonable solution.
He rode on top of the train.
In hindsight, perhaps a vehicle traveling at such ridiculous speeds wasn't the safest place to sit.
Still, Naruto had enjoyed himself.
For approximately fifteen minutes.
Then he got bored.
The scenery was impressive, but after a while, mountains, buildings, and fields started looking remarkably similar.
At least the train had brought him to Tokyo.
Now he just needed to figure out what to do next.
Naruto looked at the map again.
His father had developed the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Naruto had spent considerable time mastering its principles.
His own understanding had progressed beyond simple teleportation.
He could use space-time techniques to move between distant locations and even create portals.
There was just one small problem.
Those techniques operated within a single world.
Naruto understood how to manipulate the coordinates of locations within the same dimensional framework.
Traveling into another universe was an entirely different matter.
And he had absolutely no idea how to accomplish it.
"Maybe I could make a portal back?"
He considered the possibility.
Then immediately shook his head.
"Nope. Bad idea."
Opening another dimensional passage without understanding the coordinates would be spectacularly stupid.
He had already learned what happened when two unstable portals collided.
He wasn't interested in repeating the experience.
Especially when there was no guarantee the next accident would leave him alive.
His knowledge of fuinjutsu was extensive. By using shadow clones to study and experiment, he had compressed years of research into a much shorter period.
He could construct complex seals, manipulate chakra pathways, and develop techniques that even experienced sealing specialists would struggle to understand.
But dimensional travel?
Nobody back home had possessed enough information about alternate universes to teach him.
He was entering completely unknown territory.
Naruto folded the map.
"So I need someone who understands space-time manipulation."
That sounded easy.
Find a person who could open holes between universes.
Ask them for directions.
Go home.
Simple.
Except he had no idea whether such a person existed.
Naruto groaned and buried his face in his hands.
"Why does everything have to be so complicated?"
His stomach answered with a loud growl.
Naruto looked down.
"Oh, don't you start."
Another growl.
"Seriously?"
He reached into his pocket and retrieved the remains of a sandwich.
He had acquired it earlier from a small shop.
Acquired was a generous description.
He had stolen it.
Not exactly his proudest moment.
But after spending hours trying to exchange his money for food, Naruto had reached the unfortunate conclusion that starving in a foreign universe would be a particularly embarrassing way to die.
He intended to repay the shopkeeper once he obtained some local currency.
For now, however, he took another bite.
"Not bad."
The bread was soft, the filling surprisingly tasty, and the strange yellow sauce had a pleasant sharpness.
It wasn't ramen.
Nothing was ramen.
But it was food.
Naruto swallowed and gazed toward the streets below.
He needed money.
Identification.
Somewhere to sleep.
Information about the world.
And preferably someone who could explain how to get home.
He wasn't particularly concerned about surviving. Between his abilities, training, and chakra reserves, staying alive wasn't the problem.
Living like a normal person?
That was proving considerably more difficult.
"Guess being a ninja doesn't help much when you can't even buy dinner."
Then Naruto felt something.
A life force.
Strong.
Considerably stronger than those of the ordinary civilians moving through the streets.
Naruto's head turned.
"Oh?"
He focused his senses.
Several hundred meters away, a large figure was walking through the crowd.
The man's vitality was noticeably greater than that of the people surrounding him.
Not on the level of the truly dangerous shinobi Naruto knew, but impressive for this world.
More importantly, there was something unusual about the man's physical conditioning.
Naruto leaned forward.
"Well, now. That's interesting."
He spotted the stranger.
And immediately regretted looking.
"...What the heck is that hairstyle?"
The man was enormous.
Broad shoulders. Thick arms. Heavy chains hanging around his neck.
He wore rough clothing that looked like someone had assembled an outfit from whatever was available in a junkyard.
And atop his head stood an enormous blond mohawk.
Naruto stared.
Then slowly touched his own blond hair.
"Okay. At least my hair isn't that ridiculous."
Considering that his own hairstyle had earned him plenty of comments over the years, that was saying something.
The man shoved his way through the crowd.
People quickly stepped aside.
A few recognized him and whispered to one another.
Naruto couldn't hear every word through the noise, but one name stood out.
Birdie.
"Huh. Birdie."
Naruto considered the name.
Then looked at the enormous man's hairstyle.
"Doesn't look much like a bird to me."
Birdie continued walking, apparently unaware of the blond ninja observing him from above.
Naruto's curiosity grew.
He had already met one powerful martial artist in Japan.
Perhaps this Birdie fellow was another.
Maybe he knew something useful.
And even if he didn't, Naruto could at least learn more about the fighters of this world.
He rose to his feet.
"Well, I've got nothing better to do."
He followed.
Birdie eventually stopped outside a relatively modest establishment tucked between two larger buildings.
A decorative sign above the entrance read:
ILLUSION
Naruto tilted his head.
"A bar?"
He had encountered plenty of bars while traveling with Jiraiya.
Usually because his teacher had decided that conducting research required extensive observation of attractive women.
Naruto had always suspected the old man was lying.
Actually, he knew the old man was lying.
Jiraiya was simply terrible at hiding it.
Still, something about this particular bar interested Naruto.
Or rather, something inside it.
His sensory abilities had detected another powerful presence.
One substantially different from Birdie.
Naruto's expression sharpened.
That's a lot of energy.
The person inside possessed a concentrated reserve of power unlike anything Naruto had sensed since arriving in this world.
It wasn't chakra.
At least, not chakra as he understood it.
The energy had a different quality.
It seemed to flow through the person's body in a controlled pattern, accumulating around particular muscles before settling again.
Naruto compared the sensation with Guy.
That Guy fellow had a stronger physical presence, but this person has much more internal energy.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Naruto descended from the rooftop into an empty alley.
His transformation technique was still active, maintaining his ordinary clothing.
He adjusted the dark blue hoodie and checked his reflection in a nearby window.
Seventeen-year-old blond teenager.
Ordinary clothes.
No visible weapons.
Perfect.
"All right."
Naruto approached the entrance.
He pushed open the door.
And stepped into Illusion.
The first thing he noticed was the atmosphere.
It was surprisingly pleasant.
Soft music drifted through the room. Warm lighting illuminated polished wooden tables. A few customers chatted quietly while others enjoyed their drinks.
Unlike the establishments Jiraiya preferred, this place wasn't filled with drunken shouting or people falling over furniture.
Everything appeared remarkably civilized.
Naruto approved.
Then he spotted Birdie.
The enormous man sat at a table near the center of the room.
Across from him sat a woman.
Naruto stopped.
Oh. So that's where the energy is coming from.
The woman was tall, with short blond hair and striking blue eyes.
She wore a tailored outfit more commonly associated with men's formal clothing, though she carried it with such natural elegance that Naruto couldn't imagine her wearing anything else.
Her posture was relaxed.
One hand rested near her drink.
Her expression was composed, almost bored.
And she was very obviously not enjoying Birdie's company.
Naruto could tell that much without sensing her emotions.
The look on her face said everything.
It was the same expression Sakura wore whenever Naruto and Kiba started arguing about something particularly stupid.
The difference was that this woman looked considerably less likely to shout before hitting somebody.
She would probably skip straight to the hitting.
Naruto found an unobtrusive place near the entrance.
He decided to watch.
Grace Jones had endured many unpleasant people throughout her career.
As a professional fighter known simply as King, she had dealt with arrogant opponents, dishonest promoters, troublesome customers, and men who believed winning a few street fights entitled them to behave however they pleased.
She had developed considerable patience.
Unfortunately, patience had limits.
And Birdie appeared determined to discover exactly where hers ended.
"Come on, love," Birdie complained, leaning across the table. "Why won't you give me a chance?"
King didn't look impressed.
"Because I'm not interested."
"Aw, don't be like that."
"I believe I was perfectly clear."
Birdie grinned, exposing his teeth.
"You're just playing hard to get."
King slowly lowered her glass.
"Birdie."
"Yeah, sweetheart?"
"Have you looked in a mirror recently?"
His grin faltered.
"What?"
"Never mind your appearance. That isn't the problem." She folded her hands on the table. "The problem is that I've repeatedly told you I'm not interested, and you apparently believe my answer is negotiable."
Birdie's expression darkened.
King continued.
"Let me make this simple. I am not interested in you. I never will be. Stop bothering me."
A few nearby customers fell silent.
Birdie's face reddened.
"You think you're too good for me?"
"I think I have better things to do with my evening."
"Listen here—"
"No. You listen."
King's voice remained calm.
But something in her expression changed.
"I've been more than patient. Leave me alone, or I'll personally arrange a hospital bed for you."
Naruto, watching from nearby, winced.
Ouch.
He almost felt sorry for Birdie.
Almost.
Then Birdie slammed his fist onto the table.
BANG!
Several glasses rattled.
The music continued playing, but conversations across the room stopped.
"I've been nice to you for too long!" Birdie snarled. "You actually think you're good enough to threaten me?"
King didn't move.
"Yes."
The answer was so immediate that Naruto nearly laughed.
Birdie looked genuinely offended.
"Do you even know who I am?"
"Unfortunately."
"I'm Birdie!"
"So I've been told."
"I've fought some of the strongest fighters around!"
"Then I suggest you remember what losing feels like."
That did it.
Birdie surged to his feet.
His chair crashed backward.
"You arrogant little—!"
Naruto's fingers moved instinctively toward his kunai pouch.
He wasn't going to let some oversized thug attack a woman in front of him.
But he never got the opportunity.
Because King moved.
And Naruto's eyes widened with interest.
Her body shifted with extraordinary precision.
She rose from her seat, turned on one foot, and lifted her leg in a smooth, controlled motion.
For a brief instant, energy surged through her body.
Naruto saw it.
Not with his ordinary eyes.
With his senses.
The strange power gathered around her leg.
Then descended.
CRACK!
King's axe kick struck Birdie's shoulder.
The impact was devastating.
Birdie barely had time to register the attack before his enormous body collapsed.
THUD!
The floor shook.
His chair skidded away.
A nearby customer nearly dropped his glass.
Birdie let out a strangled yell.
"AARGH!"
Naruto stared.
Not because King had defeated him.
Birdie's attack had been clumsy, and his guard was practically nonexistent.
What interested Naruto was how she had done it.
She reinforced her attack with energy.
It reminded him of chakra enhancement.
But the execution was different.
King hadn't flooded her muscles with raw power.
Her energy had moved in a carefully regulated sequence, strengthening her strike at the precise moment of impact.
There was very little waste.
That's some impressive control.
Naruto leaned forward.
He wanted to understand it.
Immediately.
King lowered her leg.
Her expression remained cold.
"Get up."
Birdie groaned.
"You...!"
"I warned you."
"You broke my shoulder!"
"If I had intended to break it, you wouldn't be moving that arm."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
She's not kidding.
The strike had been remarkably controlled.
King possessed enough strength to cause substantially greater damage, yet she had restrained herself.
She wasn't trying to cripple Birdie.
She was making a point.
A very painful point.
Birdie struggled to his feet.
He was large, strong, and clearly accustomed to intimidating people.
But King remained completely unafraid.
"Cause trouble here again," she said, "and I'll break your limbs next time."
Birdie snarled.
For a moment, Naruto thought the man might actually attack again.
Then Birdie glanced at King's raised eyebrow.
Apparently, some tiny surviving portion of his brain decided that another beating would be a bad idea.
He backed away.
"This isn't over!"
King sighed.
"Of course it isn't."
"You'll regret this!"
"Goodbye, Birdie."
"I'll get Balrog involved! Then we'll see how tough you are!"
That name caught King's attention.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
But her voice remained steady.
"Threatening me with your friends won't change anything."
Birdie muttered several colorful insults and stomped toward the exit.
As he passed Naruto, the young ninja stepped aside.
Birdie barely noticed him.
He was far too busy nursing his injured shoulder and wounded pride.
The door slammed behind him.
Silence followed.
King surveyed the room.
"Everyone, please continue enjoying yourselves. I apologize for the disturbance."
A few customers chuckled nervously.
Conversations resumed.
The music became noticeable again.
Within a minute, the bar had almost returned to normal.
Naruto smiled.
Okay. I like her.
She was strong, disciplined, and apparently possessed enough patience to tolerate Birdie without immediately throwing him through a wall.
That last quality was particularly impressive.
Naruto himself wasn't sure he could have managed it.
King returned to her seat and took a measured sip from her glass.
She had just begun enjoying the relative peace when someone approached.
"Excuse me."
King looked up.
A blond teenager stood beside her table.
Blue eyes.
Friendly expression.
Dark hoodie.
He looked utterly ordinary.
Which, in King's experience, meant very little.
"Yes?"
Naruto gestured toward the empty chair.
"Mind if I join you?"
King examined him.
"Do you have business here?"
"Not really."
"Then are you looking for trouble?"
Naruto blinked.
Then laughed.
"What? No! I've had enough trouble for one day."
King raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?"
"Trust me. You wouldn't believe the day I've had."
Something about the sincerity of that statement caught her attention.
King nodded toward the chair.
"Very well."
Naruto sat.
"Thanks!"
He glanced toward the door.
"That guy really didn't know when to stop, huh?"
"Unfortunately, people like Birdie seldom do."
"He seemed pretty strong."
"He is."
Naruto looked surprised.
King noticed.
"Did you think otherwise?"
"Not exactly." Naruto scratched his cheek. "It's just that he was really careless."
King's expression changed slightly.
"Careless?"
"Yeah. He put all his weight forward before attacking. His balance was terrible, and he left himself completely open."
King studied him.
Those weren't the observations of an ordinary spectator.
"You noticed all that?"
Naruto grinned.
"Well, I've been in a few fights."
"A few?"
"More than a few."
King gave him a skeptical look.
Naruto shrugged.
"Okay, maybe a lot."
For the first time that evening, King looked mildly amused.
"You're rather confident for someone your age."
"Hey, I'm seventeen. I'm not a little kid."
"I didn't say you were."
Naruto opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Fair point.
He leaned back.
"Anyway, your technique was amazing."
King regarded him carefully.
"Thank you."
"I mean it. You didn't waste any energy. You concentrated it right into your leg before making contact."
King's expression sharpened.
That was a remarkably precise observation.
Most spectators would have noticed only the kick.
Even trained martial artists might have missed the finer details.
Yet this boy had recognized the energy manipulation involved.
"Are you a martial artist?" she asked.
"Something like that."
"Something like that?"
Naruto grinned.
"It's complicated."
King had heard that phrase often enough to recognize a deliberate evasion.
Still, she sensed no hostility.
"Very well. What is your name?"
"Naruto Uzumaki."
"Naruto?"
"Yep!"
King paused.
Then inclined her head.
"Grace Jones."
Naruto blinked.
"Grace?"
"Though most people in fighting circles call me King."
"Oh! So that's your fighting name!"
"Correct."
Naruto smiled.
"Nice to meet you, King."
"Likewise."
She studied his face.
"You don't appear to recognize me."
"Should I?"
King's lips curved faintly.
"Apparently not."
Naruto looked confused.
"What? Are you famous or something?"
"To some people."
"Huh. Cool."
King almost smiled.
There was something refreshingly straightforward about the boy.
Then Naruto leaned forward.
"Can I ask you something?"
"That depends on the question."
"What was that energy you used?"
King stopped moving.
For a moment, she simply looked at him.
"Energy?"
"Yeah. When you kicked that guy. You gathered some kind of energy around your leg."
King's gaze sharpened.
"You could sense that?"
Naruto nodded.
"Sure. It was pretty obvious."
To him, anyway.
King didn't respond immediately.
She had encountered people who could perceive and manipulate energy before.
But this boy was behaving as though he had just discovered something entirely new.
Curious.
She focused her own awareness.
And immediately felt something strange.
There was power inside him.
A great deal of it.
But its nature was unfamiliar.
Unlike the controlled flow of Ki she understood, Naruto's energy felt impossibly deep and difficult to measure.
For a fleeting instant, she sensed something vast lurking beneath his cheerful exterior.
Then the sensation faded.
King straightened slightly.
What was that?
She had mistaken him for an ordinary teenager.
That assumption now seemed extremely foolish.
Naruto noticed her attention sharpening.
"Something wrong?"
King recovered.
"No. Nothing."
He smiled.
"Okay! So, about that energy?"
She considered refusing.
But the boy seemed genuinely interested, and there was nothing particularly secret about the basic concept.
"It's called Ki."
"Ki?"
"Yes. It's an energy cultivated through physical conditioning, discipline, and martial arts training. With sufficient practice, a fighter can learn to focus and manipulate it."
Naruto listened intently.
King continued.
"Some individuals possess an exceptional natural aptitude, but most require years of dedicated training."
Naruto nodded slowly.
So it's similar to chakra, but not exactly the same.
That was fascinating.
He wondered whether Ki existed independently of spiritual energy or whether it followed different principles entirely.
He had already noticed that ordinary people here seemed to lack the chakra systems familiar to him.
Yet this woman could manipulate another form of internal energy.
Could he learn it?
Would it interact with chakra?
Could both energies be used together?
The possibilities were enormous.
King watched his expression become increasingly enthusiastic.
"You seem interested."
"Of course! I've never seen anything quite like it."
"Really?"
"Really."
She frowned slightly.
"Where exactly are you from?"
Naruto hesitated.
There it was.
The question he had been hoping to avoid.
"Pretty far away."
"How far?"
"Very."
King stared at him.
Naruto smiled innocently.
She sighed.
"You're not particularly subtle, are you?"
"Hey, I try."
"Not very successfully."
"Yeah, I've heard that before."
King shook her head.
There was no obvious reason to interrogate him further.
Not yet.
Naruto leaned forward again.
"Do you know where I could meet other people who use Ki?"
King considered the question.
"Several."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Could you introduce me?"
"No."
Naruto deflated.
"Aw, come on!"
"I don't give strangers the private information of my acquaintances."
"Right."
Naruto scratched his cheek.
"That's actually pretty reasonable."
King looked mildly surprised by his acceptance.
Then Naruto brightened.
"What about tournaments?"
"Tournaments?"
"Yeah! Places where martial artists fight each other. There have to be some, right?"
King regarded him thoughtfully.
"Quite a few, actually."
Naruto's grin widened.
"Now we're talking!"
King rested her glass on the table.
"If you're serious about observing different fighting styles and energy techniques, the King of Fighters tournament would be your best opportunity."
Naruto blinked.
"The what?"
"The King of Fighters."
He stared.
"That's actually what it's called?"
"Yes."
Naruto burst into laughter.
King raised an eyebrow.
"Something amusing?"
"No, no!" He waved his hands. "It's just... King of Fighters? That's an awesome name!"
King sighed.
"Of course you'd think so."
"Hey, can anyone enter?"
"Not exactly."
Naruto leaned closer.
King continued.
"The tournament attracts professional fighters from across the world. Some possess extraordinary martial abilities. Others specialize in unusual fighting disciplines and energy techniques."
Naruto's eyes sparkled.
"That sounds incredible!"
"It can also be dangerous."
"Even better!"
King stared at him.
"That was not meant to encourage you."
"Sorry."
He didn't look sorry.
King shook her head.
"The previous tournament ended under unfortunate circumstances. Nevertheless, its popularity has grown considerably. The next event is expected to attract even greater attention."
Naruto's excitement increased.
A major tournament gathering powerful fighters from across the world?
That was exactly what he needed.
Not merely because he enjoyed fighting.
Although, admittedly, that was a considerable bonus.
But if this world possessed people with extraordinary abilities, perhaps one of them understood dimensional travel.
Even if nobody could immediately help him, tournaments would give him a way to meet powerful individuals and learn how their abilities worked.
He could also establish a reputation.
Earn money.
Make contacts.
And perhaps discover a way home.
For the first time since arriving in Japan, Naruto felt something resembling genuine optimism.
"All right!" he declared. "How do I enter?"
King gave him a long look.
"You don't."
Naruto's enthusiasm collapsed.
"...What?"
"Not without qualifying or receiving an invitation."
"An invitation?"
"Correct."
"From who?"
"The organizers."
"How do I get one?"
"By establishing yourself as a capable fighter."
Naruto frowned.
"So I need to prove I'm strong?"
"Essentially."
He considered that.
Then smiled.
"That doesn't sound too difficult."
King studied him.
She had heard plenty of newcomers make similar statements.
Most had discovered that professional fighting was considerably harder than expected.
Yet Naruto's confidence felt different.
There was no obvious arrogance.
He wasn't boasting.
He spoke as though entering a dangerous martial arts tournament was simply another obstacle to overcome.
And the strange energy she had sensed within him suggested that perhaps his confidence wasn't entirely misplaced.
"Don't underestimate the competition," she warned.
Naruto nodded.
"I won't."
For once, his expression was serious.
King noticed.
He might joke constantly, but something in his eyes suggested experience.
Actual experience.
Not the theatrical bravado of someone who had won a few street fights.
She wondered what kind of life had produced that look in a seventeen-year-old.
Naruto interrupted her thoughts.
"So, where do I start?"
"Local tournaments. Regional competitions. Organized martial arts events. If you perform well enough, people will notice."
"What about street fights?"
King's expression cooled.
"That depends on what you mean by street fights. Challenging skilled opponents is one thing. Picking fights with random people is another."
Naruto quickly raised his hands.
"Whoa! I'm not planning to beat up innocent people!"
"Good."
"I just want to test myself against strong fighters."
King nodded approvingly.
"Then start with a proper competition."
Naruto grinned.
"Know any?"
"As a matter of fact, there's one happening tonight."
His eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. A relatively small tournament. Mostly local competitors, though occasionally someone talented participates."
Naruto looked delighted.
"Perfect!"
King raised a finger.
"However, you should understand something."
"What?"
"These are trained fighters. Even local competitions can be dangerous."
Naruto's grin softened into a confident smile.
"I know."
She examined him.
For some reason, she believed him.
Not completely.
But enough.
"Very well," King said. "I can tell you where it's being held."
Naruto practically bounced in his chair.
"You're the best, King!"
King blinked.
Then a small smile appeared.
"Don't thank me yet. You'll still have to prove yourself."
Naruto leaned forward eagerly.
"Oh, don't worry about that."
He glanced toward the window, where Tokyo's countless lights glimmered against the night.
For the first time since finding himself in this strange world, he had something resembling a plan.
He would enter tournaments.
Meet powerful fighters.
Learn about Ki.
Discover what other abilities existed here.
And eventually find someone who could help him return home.
Simple.
Well, perhaps not simple.
But Naruto had never required his plans to be simple.
He only needed somewhere to begin.
And thanks to the woman sitting across from him, he finally had that.
"Thanks, King!"
Grace Jones studied the smiling teenager.
She had the distinct impression that allowing Naruto Uzumaki into the local fighting scene might prove far more interesting than she had initially imagined.
And perhaps considerably more troublesome.
After all, the boy had arrived asking about Ki as though discovering an entirely new form of energy was the most exciting thing in the world.
He didn't recognize her.
He knew nothing about the King of Fighters.
He seemed unfamiliar with the most basic aspects of modern society.
Yet beneath that cheerful, slightly ridiculous exterior, she had sensed power she couldn't explain.
King took another sip of her drink.
Just who are you, Naruto Uzumaki?
Across from her, Naruto was wondering something considerably less mysterious.
Wait a second. Do tournaments charge an entry fee?
His smile froze.
Oh.
Right.
Money.
He had forgotten about that.
Again.
Apparently, even traveling between universes couldn't save Naruto Uzumaki from financial problems.