As Arthur stood there, he considered things.
His victory over Utakata was truly a show of his skill and strategy. And thanks to his Sage Mode granting him heightened senses, it allowed him to predict Utakata's attacks with impeccable accuracy.
This precognition was further enhanced by his Crimson Gaze, which enabled him to see the subtle shifts in Utakata's body, revealing the Jinchūriki's intentions before they even materialized.
But what won him the fight was his unique arsenal. All six of his weapons were simply too much for one opponent to handle. He'd switch between all his weapons seamlessly by exploiting every weakness Utakata presented.
The Blunt Blade's hammer and axe provided close-quarters dominance. The Long Blade had a wide range of flexibility due to its wires. Hiramekarei acted as a sturdy shield. The Executioner's Blade was able to unleash attacks that were strong enough to sever the tails. And lastly, the Boltswords bore natural lightning chakra to neutralize the beast.
Simply watching Arthur fight was like seeing an athletic army veteran dance.
The battle itself was also a turning point in how far he'd come thanks to the weeks of his grueling training.
For instance, the duration of his Simian Sage Mode had been extended. His skills in weapon tactics also far exceeded the average shinobi. Finally, he had refined his chakra control even further, ensuring every attack unleashed its full potential from his diverse arsenal.
This focused training, combined with his already formidable skills, was what had propelled him to this current level. Such was the importance of always pushing one's limits.
The only thing that was troubling now was the aftermath: his Boltswords had broken. Perhaps he could repair them, but it would take a lot of resources—something he didn't have at the moment.
Nonetheless, he most certainly had the potential to become a respected legend, a figure whose name could inspire fear throughout the ninja world. That is, if he wanted to be famous.
But Arthur was by no means looking for fame, nor did he care for it.
What he needed was to lay low for as long as possible. Otherwise, the other players would find him and choose to kill him more than anything. And if they succeeded at that, he would die on earth.
✟
In a remote location.
Arthur, in his Sage Mode, wasted no time retrieving the pre-prepared seal from his pouch. A few hours ago, after his chakra replenished, he had teleported both himself and Utakata back to the spot where he had readied the ritual.
Now he was ready to conduct said ritual.
Placing the seal directly over Utakata's chest, he weaved the hand signs necessary for activation.
'Tailed beast removal jutsu…'
The chakra flowed evenly. As the final sign was completed, the symbols on the seal glowed red. He watched as the seal flared and tendrils of red light radiated toward the sky.
To his surprise, the process was going remarkably smoothly. Unlike other high-chakra-cost forbidden techniques, this one seemed almost effortless, requiring minimal control.
So he reached out and touched the center of where he placed the seal on Utakata's chest. Like passing through water, his fingers phased through the latter's body. He then felt something writhing within, so he grasped whatever this formless entity was.
"Aaaaagh!" Utakata screamed in pain.
His voice ripped through the stillness of the night as the seal continued to pulse red in response.
But it didn't matter. Arthur's Sage Chakra was maintaining control by preventing the seal from overloading. More so, they were far out from civilization, on a part of an island where no one was around for hundreds of miles.
"Scream all you like…"
As if on cue, the ethereal form of the Six-Tails was ripped free from Utakata's body as the chakra skyrocketed to the sky, somersaulting in the air before solidifying into a giant, oozing creature.
Towering over Arthur was none other than the amalgamation of a white slug. The sheer size of it was overwhelming!
Unlike the sleek, streamlined form presented in the animated series, the Six-Tails was a monstrosity of white flesh that seemed to reek of sludge.
Its slime gleamed under the moonlight as it dripped on the floor. Several gaping maws lined its body, each one emitting a low growl that was enough to make grown men cry.
It was Arthur's first time witnessing a Tailed Beast in person, and it was truly hideous to look upon. Just the raw power radiating from it was like a thick, oppressive aura that felt like a physical weight on Arthur's chest.
Arthur himself couldn't fathom how anyone could have a Tailed Beast inside of them. That primal Tailed Beast chakra was simply overwhelming for anyone to carry alone.
To become a Jinchūriki meant housing this kind of creature? How truly ludicrous to believe.
Arthur's thoughts shifted to Naruto Uzumaki. If the Six-Tails was the sixth strongest and the Nine-Tails was the second (the first being the Ten-Tails), Naruto himself was truly a force to be reckoned with when using the fox's power.
Curiously, the Six-Tails looked around to survey the scene. When its gaze fell upon Arthur, it turned from him, focusing on Utakata's lifeless form instead.
Then a primal growl rumbled in its throat, filled with something akin to disgust.
Arthur, momentarily stunned, understood: like many Tailed Beasts, this one despised its Jinchūriki for having been trapped within the host's body for years and used as a weapon by shinobi. Its initial instinct after being released was to eliminate the host that served as its prison.
This mirrored the story of the Nine-Tails and Kushina Uzumaki. The fox devil, upon its release, had also attempted to kill its host before Minato intervened.
As such, the Six-Tails opened its maws before unleashing a torrent of noxious fumes.
Ka-splat!
The acidic cloud engulfed Utakata's body whole, dissolving flesh and rock alike at an alarming rate.
Arthur watched as even the sturdy earth began to melt away.
It would have been profitable had the beast not done that, for he could have collected Utakata's bounty. But he honestly wasn't exactly sure what to expect after its release.
When the attack finished, the Six-Tails watched with detached amusement as the last vestiges of Utakata dissolved into a noxious puddle. It then let out a rumble.
With a suddenness that almost startled Arthur, the giant beast whipped its head around. It was now focusing its face on his small figure standing on a nearby rock formation.
"Y'all think that I was done?" the beast's voice squealed out.
It was unexpectedly high-pitched and laced with a thick Southern drawl.
Arthur blinked, momentarily speechless. Everything he'd read about the Six Tails spoke only of its destructive power and ferocious nature. Nowhere did it mention the peculiar dialect or surprising conversational tone.
So he kept his composure steady and asked, "Are you happy with what you just did?"
The Six Tails chuckled, causing a geyser of foul-smelling fluid to erupt from one of its many mouths. It splattered harmlessly onto the ground below, which did little to quell Arthur's nerves.
"Happy? Me? Don't be ridiculous, ya monkey. That vessel was nothin' but a cage. Now I'm free!"
While the Six Tails might have been written to have helped Utakata on many accounts, that didn't mean the beast liked him. T'was the end of all Jinchūriki that didn't have a proper bond with their Tailed Beast.
Arthur, seizing the opportunity, continued to put his plans into motion. 'Sage art: enhancing flattery…' He then pressed on with a carefully modulated voice. "It wasn't my purpose to harm you, Saiken…"
When the Six Tails heard its name, it paused and bellowed, "Whoa there, hold y'er horses! Not that I'm mad since you couldn't scratch me if ya tried, but 'Saiken?!' How'd ya know my name?"
"I know about your creator, too," he continued, pushing out more Sage Chakra. "Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths. He believed that one day someone would come along and unite the Tailed Beasts for peace."
A tremour ran through The Six Tails' massive form. The playful aggression had been replaced by a curious silence upon hearing its father's name. It was clearly tense, not having expected this.
With every passing moment, however, Arthur could feel the edges of his Sage Mode beginning to fray.
"The world is a cruel place, Saiken… Ninjas treat you and your kin as nothing more than weapons. Only by working with me can you truly break free from this cycle of violence."
The Six Tails regarded Arthur for a moment. The scene that happened next slowly made Arthur's eyes widen: the beast's enormous head turned to look back.
But Arthur could feel that his influence wasn't enough; he had to say more to push his genjutsu further. So he announced, "Serve me, Saiken. Help me create a world where the power of the Tailed Beasts can be used for good and not just destruction..."
A long, agonizing silence followed. Then, with a deafening rumble that echoed across the landscape, the Six Tails turned its massive body back to look at Arthur.
Just then, his Sage Mode sputtered out, leaving him vulnerable. But he couldn't tell whether the Evil Illusion Flattery had worked. If it didn't, he'd have to fight an entire Tailed Beast on his own.
"Woah!" the Six Tails drawled. "I thought y'er a monkey. To think y'er a kid this whole time." Arthur didn't respond, giving the creature a stern look. "Alright, alright, settle down there. Ya seem like a persuasive fella. Ya got y'erself a deal. I believe in ya, so I'll stick around for a while to see what kind of world ya plan on buildin'."
Arthur sagged against the rock. He had done it; he had changed a Tailed Beasts' will.
There was no denying how grand this occasion was. But he was truly exhausted, having only recently come from that battle with Utakata.
"That's good to hear," he finally said.
The Six Tails soon lowered its giant head, surprisingly close to Arthur's small frame. He knew what it wanted: to be petted.
Arthur remained idle at first until he channeled a thin layer of chakra around his hand, ensuring a protective barrier between his skin and the creature's slime-covered body. Tentatively, he then reached out and patted its massive head.
This made the beast let out a contented rumble that shook the ground beneath them.
This Six-Tails was now his to take care of. But he still wouldn't underestimate it since, at the end of the day, it was still a devil.
"Haha! I like your touch?" it said.
Arthur retracted his hand, maintaining a serious demeanour. "There's something you must do for me, Saiken."
The beast's amusement vanished, replaced by a solemn attentiveness. "Anything, kid… Ugh… Hey, what's y'er name again?"
To think Arthur had managed to sway a Tailed Beast without even introducing himself.
"You can call me Arthur… Arthur Bennett."
"Arthur, aye?! Well, Arthur, ya just say the word and I help in what ways I can."
"The other Tailed Beasts haven't been found yet," he explained, laying out his plan. "A task of mine is to locate them all. Some of them will likely be hostile and unwilling to cooperate."
"So, ye're saying I might have to fight my own kind?!"
"That's a possibility. But it would be to free them from the cycle of violence that's plagued them for so long."
The Six Tails pondered this for a moment. The notion of fighting its kin was unnatural. But Arthur's conviction struck a chord within it. "Alright, alright. I'll fight if it means keepin' ya safe."
Arthur couldn't help but be impressed. The Six Tails' willingness to put aside his reservations for the sake of his goal demonstrated how loyal the beast had become.