Arcanis discovers his darker side. (Arc, Kirito, P)

Arcanis looked across the endless sand of his domain and felt that it was his duty to venture out into them and chart the words.  Even though he had risen a monument to his power here he was curious what else had manifested itself on his dream scape.  He began by tracking his was through the endless sand.  He could have flown over it but he had instead asked Kirito to come along.  He had some things he wanted to discuss with him anyway and this was something he needed to do up close and personal.  He walked and the strangest thing happened that he had up to this point been unaware of.  The place in which he had built his home was actually a bright spot in this dark and gloomy world.  After getting a long ways away from the castle the light that was so easily taken for granted began to wane and was replaced with a world of shadows.  

Moving along Arcanis, though he existed in a place that was solely made from his own mental world, found himself more and more lost.  He had no clue whether he was still walking away from the castle or if he had detoured off one way or the other.  But the landscap had changed.  Dead tress, well at least leafless trees rose out of the ground like skeletal figures.  The sweeping dunes were replaced by stony ground and treacherous sudden cliffs .  The rocks that he tread on were sharp and uncomfortable.  Flashes of darker shadows within shadows played across the background just barely in his peripheral vision.  He actually became anxious.  This was different from fighting monsters in his head.  He knew here though that his body though almost all powerful here in this realm He was still only mortal.  Well mostly mortal.  

“Fine you think you can intimidate me?  How About this!”  Arcanis flexed his power focusing his aura into light and heat.  But even his near infinite power was nothing and didn't even drive away the shadows.  This was bad.  He had found himself in a place that did not abide by the rules his conscious mind set forth.  Which also meant that this was probably where he would find his inner demons.  As if on que the shadows giggled and the rustle of air could be heard around him.  However spinning in circles seemed to get him absolutely no where.  Arcanis was beginning to feel a little nervous.

Kirito had received a message from Arcanis shortly after their meeting with the new Kazekage. The message was for him to meet Arcanis in his dimension, delivered by one of the ninja he had trained in S/T so as to allow access to the Library at any time. He arrived in a darker part of the vast desert that he had never seen before. He could sense Arcanis' chakra but it was still a ways away from his own position. He locked into where Arcanis' chakra signature was coming from and moved at full speed toward his destination. 'I wonder why he has requested our presence. What do you think Isobu?' he asked the Sanbi within him. 'I do not know Kirito. Let us find out together.'

Kirito arrived just at Arcanis' position just as the shadows seem to giggle around him, Arcanis not having his normal composure.

The Shadows had a mind of their own this wasn't the tricks that pride pulled.  True terror emanated from the shadows like a evil spirit clawing at you bones.  It took everything Arc had to not submit to the evil in this place.  The giggling turned to female laughter as the being or being in the corners of his eye were happy to see the mighty ruler of this place reduced to a powerless chump.  Arcanis had to find a way to fight this beast that slid through his dimension as if it had been there longer than he himself had.

“Okay Kurama I'm going to need you help on this one.”  No answer came.  “KURAMA!”  Focusing Arcanis dove into his mind to find the Beast.  However all that was there was a completely blank room.  No nine tailed fox no deadly sins.  Not even...

“Me?”  Jikans voice echoed from behind him.  Spinning around Arc found himself back in the desert.  A sting on his cheek drew his attention as a warm dropplet of glistening blood ran down his cheek and fell to the white stony sand beneath his feet.  The shadows weren't laughing but Arc could feel a breath on his neck.  What ever y was it was either controlling his mind with a perfect genjutsu or the being was faster than Arcanis, the fastest man in the world.  No he was the fastest man in the world.  This thing couldn't beat him in his own dimension.  

A new chakra struck Arcanis's senses.  He had been focusing his thoughts in a tight.  Circle around himself but that meant....

“Yes I can.”  hissed a decidedly feminine voice in his ear.  Arc's eye went wide.  Spinning around he saw his weakness standing not to far off.  Kirito had come to join him after all.  It would be his undoing.  An unseen force flung Kirito's body like a rag doll into the air.  Arc acted quickly.  Grabbing two flying raijin daggers he flung one at Kirito and dropped the second one.  Four flashes and Arc hadjumped to kirito grabbed him and flashed back to the dagger he had dropped.  Both men were unharmed.  “Sorry to drag you into this Kirito.”  Arc said his eyes darting around.  He would make sure kirito was alright before pulling him to his feet and positioning his back directly touching Kirito's back, still looking for their attacker. 

“Remember how I told you I was going to teach you to fight with me, as partners?'  Arc would wait a half second for a response.  After getting one or if Kirito didn't supply one Arc would continue.  “Well Lesson one:  Movement.”  Arc would lean back on kirito's back and throw his feet directly into the air.  Suddenly Arc was the one on the ground and Kirito, having been supporting both their weight until a second ago flipped into the air.  They were now a good deal distance away as they had transported to the dagger that Arc had flung at Kirito to FTG to him but had not caught.

“Lesson 2: Analytical skills.  The thing that attacked us was over they at our last known location we are here which means even if it's moving faster than we can see it's still coming at us from there.  Regardless lesson 3:  Syncing our jutsu.”  Arc began a series of Hand seals that Kirito would be able to follow with his sharingan.  Monkey → Dragon → Rat → Bird → Ox → Snake → Dog → Tiger → Monkey and then he began to charge a massive amount of lightning chakra into his hand.  

“Give it hell.”  Arcanis would speed off toward the thing they were fighting hoping Kirito would stay in sync.

Kirito had just showed up when some unknown force flung him into the air. He wasn't there long as Arcanis threw a Kunai in his direction and then in a sudden sequences of yellow flashes Kirito was standing next to Arc in Arc's original position. Wasting no time Kirito activated his Mangekyo and had Isobu start gathering Natural energy for him. "What the hell was that?" he asked Arcanis, his eyes trained on the spot he had been hit from. "Sorry to drag you into this Kirito." was Arcanis' only answer. The man had asked him if he remembered what Arc had said about training to work as a team. Kirito merely nodded at the question, his Mangekyo eyes still searching for the thing that had attacked them. "Well lesson one: Movement" Arc said and suddenly through some quick action and another flash they were in a different area, where the Kunai Arc had first thrown seemed to have landed. That was when Arc spoke again.

“Lesson 2: Analytical skills.  The thing that attacked us was over they at our last known location we are here which means even if it's moving faster than we can see it's still coming at us from there.  Regardless lesson 3:  Syncing our jutsu.”

He really was a skilled fighter. Kirito was glad to have him by his side. Arc had made a series of hand seals directly after speaking which Kirito was able to follow easily with his Mangekyo. It was a technique he himself knew: Chidori. "Give it hell." was the last thing Arc said before speeding off in the direction of the enemy. A dark red three tailed cloak of chakra and periodic bursts of lightning covered Kirito simultaneously. He moved at 271 speed to be 10 meters to the right of their designated target while performing the hand seals Monkey-Rat-Tiger-Dragon-Horse-Dragon. When he had reached his destination, almost instantaneously, he released a powerful spinning column of water that took the form of a snake at his target at 55 speed with a power of 55. If this worked, the target should be simultaneously hit with both a water and lightning element attack, doubling the damage.

Arc dashed directly at whatever it was that was attacking the two of them.  As he did he felt then saw Kirito dash to one side and fire off a water style jutsu.  'Good, that's using your head.'  Arc was speeding toward the thing and he could almost make out the outline of the thing that was attacking.  Surprisingly it wasn't all that big.  Arc pictured it as a massive demon but surprisingly the effect of the blured after image made it look about human sized...but the thing was just too fast.  Suddenly the water style jutsu that was heading toward the attacker was heading toward him.  The shadow seemed to have the ability to manipulate water.  Arc couldn't attack or else the lightning from his attack would fry Kirito and if he released the jutsu his increase in speed would surely be the end of him.  Unfortunately the jutsu he was using came at a cost.  It reduced his ability to react fast enough to dodge attacks.  He was cooked he needed to be able to move faster react faster or else it was likely he would die or kill his friend.  Suddenly his eyes began to spin and time slowed.  He could see the path of the water but more importantly he could see the thing they were fighting.  It was still fast but Arc was able to track it.

Kirito would see arcanis dissappear as Arc moved into another realm with an astonishing burst of speed.  (roll with it. it's CD I know you have sharingan too.)  Arc was at a whole new level.  He matched speed with the being and continued their fight on a new scale.  Blows were thorwn so fast that the collisions sounded like thunder.  Arcanis was able to get a good look at their attacker while he traded blows.  It was in fact a female, though of what species he didn't know.  Her face was mostly covered in bone and the bone crept down to wrap around her...breasts.  Really that was the only way to tell it was a girl.  The rest of her body was animilist and the tail that came out her backside was not land animal but looked like something that would swim in the see.  THE TAIL!

The tail smashed into his face and chest sending him flying into the air.  She followed and the battle began a new in the air.  He traded blows knocking her down into the ground causeing a crater to emerge 50 meters from Kirito.  Arcanis had won a small victory.  

“I didn't think you would be able to stand up to my power filthy human.”  the thing was able to speak.  It was a bit unnerving though.  He kinda figured she could talk being she had giggled earlier, but the sound of her voice and the way her mouth moved made it look like she shouldn't be able to.  Kirito would be able to see her now.  The battle for now was over.  

“Why did you attack me?”  Arcanis demanded.

“Why did you attack me?  And what are you doing here?  I reign over these lands and your not welcome here.”  The sentiment was disturbing when it wasn't coming out of Arcanis's mind.  Wait?

“You reign over these lands?  Who the hell are you?  This is My territory.”  Arcanis practically yelled at the girl.

The woman looked away almost what a human would look like when they pouted.  “I was never supposed to be able to be beaten here.  I control the Masters ability to influence this place.  I amthe strongest here by far how could you defeat me?”

“Well it seems you never expected to meet the master hmm?”  Arcanis did something that the woman seemed truly surprised at.  He held out his hand to help her up.  She looked away away again and refused the hand offered to her.  She stood up on her own.  

“I guess you deserve my name.  I am Tier Harribel.  I suppose if your the master your entitled to these lands.”  the looming shadows faded and Arc seemed to sort of miss the darkness.  

“I wish for you to fight with me...Your power is truly great and I would have you as my ally.”

“Hmmf.  I suppose I can allow you access to my minions.  But you can't just come in here and demand my services.”

Arc frowned with a stern look on his face that said he could if he so wished.  But the woman produced a scroll and handed it to Arcanis.  Arc took it before the woman completely vanished using some ability.  

Arc returned to Kirito and placed a hand on his friends shoulder before slumping to the ground.

TWC 1837
contract with Hollows please NOT EXITING YET

Staring
, also approved of your contract

Approved

Everything was going according to plan when suddenly Kirito's water attack changed course and headed straight at Arc. Whatever they were fighting could apparently control water. This was not good. Kirito cancelled his technique but it was too late. Suddenly Arc had disappeared. Kirito searched the area with his Mangekyo eyes but couldn't pick up anything. A few short minutes went by and then a crater formed 50 meters in front of Kirito. He ran to stop at the edge of the crater, releasing his cloak and lightning armor. Arcanis had apparently won. Now a strange......Female?.....creature was laying in the center of the crater, Arcanis showing up shortly after. They had an exchanging of words, both claiming to be all powerful in this dimension and what not, before the creature who was apparently called Harribel handed Arcanis a scroll. Arcanis then walked over to Kirito. "Want to tell me what the hell that was all about? And what was that technique you use to teleport in a yellow flash? I'd like to learn it from you if possible." Kirito said to Arc, his eyes once again spinning only to return to normal. He had come into a strange situation and would like some answers.

Kirito had helped Arc up after he collapsed, Arc's arm wrapping around Kirito's shoulder. He gave Kirito an answer to his first question, being that this dimension seemed to house a race of creatures near equal in strength to Arcanis himself. When Arc was fully standing they had suddenly appeared to be standing in a room in Arc's castle. Kirito was still amazed at how this dimension so easily reflected Arc's desires. “The technique is called Flying Thunder God. It is similar to a teleportation except I teleport to various locations by marking them with special seals. But to teach you would be a bit more work than I'm up to at the moment but you can try it out on your own before we go into it more.”  Arc had said to Kirito as he reclined in his bed and offered Kirito a seat. 'Flying Thunder God. Sounds like a pretentious name but considering what it can do the name is well deserved.' Kirito thought more to himself than to any of the voices in his head but they may deem it worthy of a response, he was unsure what they would do or say. That was how it was housing three other personalities in his mind. He could have complete conversations within his mind with up to three other beings. It was annoying at times and gave Kirito a headache but other times he welcomed the noise as a nice diversity to the normal silence. Focusing his attention back to the room and Arcanis, Kirito thought about something Arc had just said involving the FTG technique. He utilizes certain markings to teleport to. That explains why he threw those kunai when Kirito had appeared. They must have been marked with the seal. Arcanis had also said that Kirito was welcome to practice the technique on his own for now as Arcanis was still recovering from the fight. Kirito was willing to do so but he also wanted his master to be in top form to teach Kirito himself. With that in mind Kirito walked over to Arcanis, his hands beginning to glow, and he placed his palms on the center of his maaster's body so as to start the healing process with one of his medical techniques. "Stay still. I am quite skilled in medical ninjutsu among other things. I can heal you and remove your fatigue in no time." he said as he worked on healing Arcanis for a few minutes. Once he had finished healing, Kirito again spoke. "You should be feeling much better now. Concerning this Flying Thunder God technique, you said you use certain special markings to teleport. I'm assuming these markings are a a variation of the mark seal technique. That brings to mind that this is a high level Fuin and Space-Time ninjutsu. I am able to create seals by touch on command and my analytical mind allows me to change them to fit this technique. I would however, have you instruct me on how to properly perform the teleportation portion of the technique as well as go into a bit more detail as to its workings. If you are up to it that is." Kirito was excited and eager to learn his master's teleportation technique but he did not show it in his tone of voice nor the expression on his face. He had tried to word his request as best he could but he knew he could have done better as with all things. Everything has room for improvement no matter how well it is done. Kirito looked at his master, not sure whether Arcanis would comply with his request or turn him down in favor of more pressing concerns.

"Stay still. I am quite skilled in medical ninjutsu among other things. I can heal you and remove your fatigue in no time."  

With Kirito's assistance Arcanis was back to normal.  He was capable of performing medical ninjutsu but not in the state he was in.  However now he felt like he could go toe to toe with Tier again.

"You should be feeling much better now. Concerning this Flying Thunder Godtechnique, you said you use certain special markings to teleport. I'm assuming these markings are a a variation of the mark seal technique. That brings to mind that this is a high level Fuin and Space-Time ninjutsu. I am able to create seals by touch on command and my analytical mind allows me to change them to fit this technique. I would however, have you instruct me on how to properly perform the teleportation portion of the technique as well as go into a bit more detail as to its workings. If you are up to it that is." 

  “RIGHT the FTG as I call it cause it's quicker and everything is better when it's quicker especially travel is a technique in which you set a summoning seal of sorts on a surface.  This seal is going to be unique to you.  Then by focusing your chakra you simply summon yourself to the seal.  However this is the tricky part as you are not using a summoning jutsu.  It's more of...you placing a part of your chakra on an object then instead of returning the chakra to you by canceling the jutsu you return yourself to the chakra.  If you think about it this way your flashes become faster and faster.  And by tempering you mind to think on a faster pace you increase the speed even more.  I am able to jump all over the world in the time that it takes you brain to process what your seeing.  But I have practiced this technique for many many many years.”

Arcanis explained this in a fast pace and as he spoke the speed of his speech would increase as well demonstrating the speed that Arcanis was capable of...which was a lot.  

“If you would like we can take this down to the training rooms and try giving it a whirl.”  Suddenly they would be standing in the training labyrinth as he spoke.  Arcanis materialized a single unmarked Flying Raijin kunai, and tossed it to Kirito.  “Your in a maze...try to get out.  Good luck.”  Arc would then teleport away.  Her went high above into an observation chamber.  The maze was 3 km radius in all directions...even downward.  The Maze was near impossible for ordinary people.  And the maze itself was full to the brim with traps hidden doors and even an unfriendly minataur.  It would be fighting back as Kirito tried to make his way through the maze.  The walls were mostly stone but their were many rooms and the maze was nothing if not variable.  The maze was built to test the users navigation and reflexes as well as endurance.    Arcanis would be able to keep track almost omnisciently with the controls in the observation rom.

Arcanis had explained how the FTG technique worked rather quickly but Kirito believed he kept up with his words. He had then offered to go to the training rooms to try it out and as he was asking they were suddenly standing in a strange room. Kirito assumed it was the training room Arc had just mentioned. Arcanis had made a strangely shaped kunai appear and tossed it to Kirito. "You're in a maze....try to get out. Good luck." were his last words as he disappeared in a flash of light, no doubt using the FTG technique to move somewhere he could track Kirito's progress. Kirito took a closer look at the kunai that Arcanis had given him. There was a place on the handle that seemed like it would fit sealing markings. He figured the kunai was most likely meant to be used in conjunction with the FTG technique. Kirito focused his chakra on the spot on the handle, trying to create a unique seal with some of his chakra inside of it. After a few seconds he managed to make Fuinjutsu markings appear.

'Well Isobu, should we get going?' he asked the three tails as he started forward down the path he was on.

As kirito would walk down the hall walls would open up and a spinning trap would be triggered.  on both walls and the ceiling a wheel of spinning pegs rotated backward toward kirito leaving no room to pass through.  in fact if he tried it would most likely hurt and the paggs were spinning very fast.  however their was enough room to throw the kunai to the other side.

"So first test....this one won't kill you.  and please the object is to learn the jutsu not break my maze."  a speaker right next to Kirito would call out.

Kirito had not walked far down the hall when the first of what was sure to be many traps were sprung. Three wheels full of pegs spinning back toward Kirito emerged each from the ceiling and walls on either side of him. If he made to move forward through the pegs he was sure to be forced back. Kirito was about to force his way through but stopped instead realizing this was meant to test his ability to use the FTG technique. That was when he heard Arcanis' voice from a speaker to Kirito's right. "So first test....this one won't kill you. And please the object is to learn the jutsu not break my maze." That confirmed it. Force was not the answer to this test. He had to use FTG to get to the other side. Luckily Kirito had already marked the kunai, placing some of his chakra inside of the seal. The spinning pegs left just enough room for the kunai to pass through. He decided it was now or never.

Kirito threw the kunai to the other side and once clear of the pegs he attempted the second, more difficult part of the technique. He remembered Arcanis saying it was close to the summoning jutsu except instead of summoning an object he was supposed to summon himself the the piece of chakra he had sealed inside of the kunai. He focused his mind and made his first attempt. Hid body seemed to blur and flicker for a moment and then regained its normal appearance in the same position he had been before. He focused himself again and this time he let his energy flow, letting his body's will to return to his chakra take hold, and he disappeared in a yellow flash. A second later he was on the other side of the spinning pegs, the kunai in the air in front of him which he quickly retrieved in one swift motion.

"I seemed to have made it to the other side. I expect the tests will increase as I encounter them? No need to answer. I will find out soon enough." he said to the maze in general, knowing Arcanis was listening. His pupils spun, separating into 3 tomoe like pupils surrounded by a sea of crimson that was his iris. He would not wait for a response before turning left and heading down another corridor, kunai in hand, his senses peeled for anything that may cross his path.

Arc watched Kirito get passed the first test... "Good job Kirito" he said quietly to the observation room.  He was making swift progress but he needed to be able to think on his feet as well.  down the hall way he went down were 2 branches.  Down the first branch Kirito would find what looks like a large metal door.  down the other branch was a slot in the wall.  upon closer examination the slot was the same size as the kunai.  should Kirito put the kunai into the slot it would press in as far as the beginning of the handle and then tumblers would rumble coming from the other hall way....that is if he put the kunai in the slot.

As Kirito made his way down the corridor he came to a part where the corridor split into two branches. He took the right branch first, intending to come back and check out the left branch next if he needed. Coming about 15 meters down the right branch, he found what seemed to be a large metal door with no hinges or mechanism of opening it of any kind. He had already made it to the next test. He made his way back to the beginning of the split and then just over 15 meters down the left branch. There was a small slot in the wall. Kirito examined the slot closer and saw it was just big enough for the kunai to fit. He wasn't sure what would happen next but he trusted his own abilities and analytical skills as well as those of Arcanis. He would slip the kunai into the slot and the blade stayed in place with the handle extending out into the hall. Kirito could here tumblers of a sort as soon as he had inserted the kunai. He ran back to where the metal door was as quick as he could, unsure if the door would close after a certain time. Once he had made it past the door he stopped to catch his breath. Now he was without the kunai. He knew the kunai would be necessary for the rest of his tests but Arcanis never said it was necessary to perform FTG. He said the key was within the seal itself. The kunai was simply a tool to utilize FTG more practically. Kirito would bend down and place his palm on the floor in front of him, leaving the same mark with a portion of his chakra as he had with the kunai. Once the mark was placed, Kirito had disappeared in a yellow flash, appearing where the kunai was left. He grabbed the kunai and instantly heard the door beginning to close again. With the kunai once more in hand he disappeared in another flash of yellow light, appearing back past the metal door where he had placed the FTG seal upon the floor. Arcanis was obviously not only testing his ability to utilize the FTG technique but was testing his ability to think as well. That was something Kirito was very capable of doing and even eager to show. It wasn't often he got to demonstrate how clever he was and he would not let this opportunity go to waste.

Arc smiled and pumped his fist.  "Yes that's thinking with your head Kirito."  Arc complemented his apprentice to himself.  He knew the trial would be hard but,  He was sure that Kirito would prevail.  The next test was that of speed and forethought because that was the essence of the FTG technique.  At the end of the hall was a pit.  the hole in the floor was 10 meters across and their was nothing on the other side of the pit.  the hole fell away into darkness far below.  however it looked like from a good observation the the walls of the pit only went down 10 meters and then the walls just disappeared into the dark.

Kirito made it to the next test as quick as he had some upon the one before it. At the end of the hall he was now traveling down there was a 10 meter long pit with no ledge or door or anything on the other side. If Kirito looked into the pit it looked like it descended a long way into darkness, the walls only descending 10 meters. He was unsure of how to proceed but decided to be cautious. He backed away 5 meters from the pit and bent down, placing one of his FTG seals on the floor. Once the seal had been placed, Kirito stood and faced the pit once more. He held his raijin kunai in his hand and moved to the edge of the pit. Kirito took one last look and then jumped down, into the darkness, his sharingan eyes still active.

As Kirito would fall his sharingan eye would snag the sight of a door way that was lit but 5 meters in underneath the lip of the pit.  He would have to react quickly to make it into the door.  should he look down the pit continued out of sight.

As Kirito fell, his sharingan eyes picked up view of a doorway just 5 meters from the lip of the pit. If he was going to pass this test he would have to act quickly. He was glad he had the raijin kunai in his hand. His high speed training and the prowess of the doujutsu he had obtained allowed him to react at unimaginable speeds. Kirito wasted no time as he fell, throwing the kunai into the doorway the instant he noticed it, and then used the FTG technique to teleport himself in a yellow flash through the doorway, snatching the kunai out of the air once more as he appeared.

Arc smiled.  Kirito was indeed a quick learner.  The next test would rely on not only speed and timing but also on accuracy.  When using the FTG technique it was even more important to be accurate with your throws.the next room was larger.  13 meters above were a series of 13 rings and at the far end of the room was another slot in the wall.  below it on ground level was a door much like the first one.  The rings above were incrementally smaller than the one before.  the the first ring being 3 meters wide in diameter and the last being 5 inches wide.  the length of the room was conveniently the same throwing distance as kirito had (just to make it easy on me.)

1000 words for 3 thomoe

The next room was just as large as Kirito could throw, most likely by design. Thirteen meters above his head were a series of thirteen rings, each smaller than the last. In the opposite wall parallel with the last ring, was a slot identical to the one used to open the door in his second test. There was an identical door opposite where Kirito now stood, surely opened by the mechanism of the slot. This would be a test of not only speed and intelligence, but accuracy as well if he had taken in the test correctly. A plan formulated in Kirito's mind. Kirito would throw the kunai at a spot 3ft in front of the first ring above him. What came next would happen too quickly for a normal person to follow. Kirito disappeared in a yellow flash, appearing in mid air beside the kunai. Immediately after appearing, he would snatch the kunai and rotate, using his experience and sharingan eyes to accurately throw the kunai through all thirteen rings to stop in the slot in the wall with its hilt protruding. As soon as it stuck, the door began to open. Kirito teleported across the room to the kunai and then dropped to the floor, walking through the door. Once on the other side he again placed his seal on the floor before teleporting first to retrieve the kunai and then back to the seal past the door. Kunai in hand, Kirito let a small smile creep across his face before walking down the next hallway, surely approaching the next test.

[also approved for all appropriate rewards]

Arcanis nodded.  the tests were set up to teach as well as to practice.  however now the tests would begin to get dangerous.  the path dead ended at a massive cavern.  the crevice was roughly hewn from the rock by what looked like natural means.  down below water pooled and rushed.  However the naturalness and lack of actual light sources contradicted the fact that the cavern was fairly well lit.  Kirito's path here could go many different directions.  Arc kne that their were 3 other exits to that cavern.  One was on the sam wall as the one kirito entered but 70 meters to the right and 50 meters up the wall.  Another was hidden in the rock on the floor of the cavern and the last would be straight acroos the cavern being 100 meters to the other side.

(Choose your own adventure time)

Kirito arrived at a dead end, or what most people would take as a dead end. It was a large cavern that at first glance seemed to be made of natural means however the cavern was well lit and part of Arcanis' maze so Kirito knew it was of his design. At the bottom of the cave Kirito could discern several pools and streams of water down below. He chose that to be his next move. He threw his kunai downward to stick in the the dirt of the cavern floor. There was a flash of yellow light before he appeared an instant later where the kunai had landed. His eyes swiftly scanned the surrounding area for any would-be threats, making sure it was safe for him to examine the cliff walls for possible escape. Once he had deemed the area safe, he picked up his kunai and set himself to work. After a few minutes examining the cliff face, his sharingan eyes found a doorway hidden among the rock 25 meters above with no way of climbing to it. Upon finding this, Kirito threw his kunai in the air and would teleport beside it when it was parallel with the center of the doorway. He rotated in the air, first snatching the kunai out of the air and then thrown into the doorway. He teleported again to it once safely in the doorway, immediately snatching back the kunai. He was having a good amount of fun in this little maze, stretching his ingenuity and reflexes to the limit.

Kirito decided to drop down lower into the cavern and thus into a lower part of the maze.  Arc gripped his chair as he watched.  He couldn't stop him but it just meant that the puzzles would become more dangerous.  Arc shook his head but learning during combat was the best way to learn.

Through the next room was a long hallway and a Massive door after that.  Surprisingly in this room no traps or puzzles emerged.  However a giant door loomed in front of kirito.  He had time to turn back if he so wished.  Here is what the door looks like:



The door will swing open with only a push but the room inside is dark not being able to see without entering.