Arthur's next destination led him to another village, not too far from the oasis and quite close to the heart of the country.
Upon arrival, he noticed how much smaller a village this was. It was akin to an impoverished settlement. The people were also wary, and their eyes were filled with distrust. Clearly, they had gone through some form of hardship or struggle.
Arthur moved cautiously with his senses on high alert as he eavesdropped on conversations, observed the villagers' interactions, and pieced together the puzzle of their daily drudgery.
An old man, weathered by years and toil, explained that a few mercenaries held their village hostage. No one challenges them since they offer protection in exchange for valuable information.
While it might have seemed governed enough to be considered safe, things were actually so bad that these mercenaries managed to prevent residents from contacting authorities like the Cloud Village for help.
So long as the citizens did as they were told, they could work in peace.
Interesting, but not so interesting that Arthur would wish to liberate this place from a bunch of thugs.
"Do you think this has anything to do with those notorious Gold and Silver Brothers?" he tried.
"Eh? Y'er must really not be from around here, stranger. I haven't heard of those names in, well… I can't remember…"
Hearing this made Arthur activate the Evil Illusion Flattery technique. When the man turned around and was fully under control, Arthur forced him to recall whatever information he had.
The man spoke of the brothers with a sense of calmness. He recounted tales of their bravery, their unmatched skill, and their tragic demise.
Somehow this elder had been around long enough to know their history. Because according to him, the brothers had apparently been buried in a hidden tomb that was closely guarded and only known to a handful of residents.
"And where is this tomb?"
The man gave specific directions to it, an area located just a few miles west from the village.
"Tis a dangerous place, stranger," he warned. "It is guarded by the mercenaries, who've told us not to tell anyone of it."
"That so…?"
"Yes! I advise ya not to head in that direction if ye're looking to see the light of day again."
Danger was Arthur's constant companion.
With the information learned, he dispelled the genjutsu, thanked the old man, and finally left.
After a while of walking west from the village, he felt a strange sensation. But when he turned around, he hadn't seen anything. No chances would be taken, so he activated his Crimson Gaze.
Five figures stood hidden in the shadows. They were armed and looked to have been following him.
"Come out," he demanded.
"Well, well, well," one of them said as all five materialized on the road. "We heard you were asking about the Gold and Silver Brothers."
"And?" he replied, not recognizing any of them.
"And we're here to tell you that you're asking too many questions," another man replied. "Where you're thinking of going is off limits to outsiders, so you'd best skedaddle while you still can."
"I'm more interested to know who sent you…"
"Let's just say we got a tip from an old man," a woman snarled.
Arthur instantly pieced things together. That same old man had ratted him out. If there were any time for someone to chuckle, now would be it. But Arthur's chuckle was mirthless.
Clearly, these were the mercenaries keeping that village hostage. They didn't seem to have any allegiance to this nation, seeing as none of them carried a shinobi's headband.
Seeing that Arthur wasn't moving, one of the men growled, "Get lost now!"
"Or what?"
Their eyes flared. Then, with their weapons pulled out, they all charged at him.
Arthur dodged, parried, and countered their attempts like a cobra. The mercenaries were skilled, but they were no match for his honed reflexes.
Bang-shing-bang!
Within minutes, the floor was filled with running blood. Each mercenary sprawled on the ground, and their weapons were scattered around them like dead leaves. Arthur stood amidst it all, having hardly broken a sweat.
He had defeated them almost too easily without even needing to rely on his Crimson Gaze.
To ensure his actions remained hidden, he wrapped their dead bodies in bandages and placed a Flying raijin mark on each of them. Then he buried them far.
There was no chance they would be used for his army of the undead since they were far too weak. And his only purpose for marking them was to ensure an incident like what happened with Ino and Shikamaru didn't occur again.
Thus was the life of a lone shinobi.
✟
Arthur's journey eventually led him to a graveyard of sorts.
The tombstones were monolithic, carved from obsidian stone, and two mercenary-like guards stood watch over the graveyard. They didn't at all look imposing, but Arthur paused to consider why a graveyard would require such heavy security.
'Crimson gaze…'
As he looked, he noticed two things. The first was that these guards were actually Cloud ninjas, hiding their headbands. And the second was that inside the tomb were the Gold and Silver Brothers!
Regarding the guards, it now made sense how the recently defeated mercenaries were able to keep that village subdued without the Cloud Village knowing: the shinobi here were defects, using their influence to extort others lesser than them.
Sneaking safely inside, past the guards, Arthur found the brothers' grave. He knelt before the structures and performed an illusion to mask his actions.
After a while of excavation, he finally reached the coffins. They were made of the same dark material as the tombstones. So he pried open the lids and found the bones of the brothers' bodies.
He couldn't at all sense any lingering chakra from them, having hoped the remnants of the Nine-Tails would have been there.
Nonetheless, he carefully extracted DNA samples from both and stored them in a vial. Reanimating them now by using the guards outside wasn't ideal since he simply needed their genetic material for later use.
With the mission accomplished, he returned the coffins and filled in the grave as if it had never been disturbed. Then he snuck outside.
But Arthur didn't leave the area completely; he spent the rest of the day observing the two guards and waited for them to be relieved of duty. If one of them returned to the Cloud, it would be one of the easiest finds of a hidden village.
The guards were vigilant as their eyes constantly scanned the surroundings. But Arthur was patient and more observant than them.
When one guard began to show signs of fatigue, the other guard dismissed him.
The man yawned and rubbed sleep from his eyes as he left. Arthur followed from the shadows while in his smoke form. To his displeasure, however, the guard was returning to that village.
There, the guard entered into a small, unassuming house.
"I wonder where the others are," he asked to no one in particular.
Arthur knew who he was referring to. But if this guard wasn't going to return to the Cloud Village any time soon, there was no point in stalking him any longer.
So instead, Arthur searched the whole house, hoping to find some clue, a map, or a hidden compartment. Yet there was nothing.
Perhaps this guard would be posted here for weeks. Or perhaps he had fully defected from the village with his partner and would never return.
Not saddened by this thought, Arthur was still content with what he had already gained: the DNA samples of the Gold and Silver Brothers. That alone meant it was time to leave this country.
'Flying raijin…'
✟
Teleporting back to the Water Country in seconds, he arrived right inside Hiromu's office and disguised himself as John.
This wasn't the first time he had been here, having placed a mark just about everywhere he deemed important enough.
Hiromu eventually entered the room and was startled by the sudden appearance. He quickly bowed without hesitating.
"Greetings, my lord! My greatest apologies. I had not expected you to come today; otherwise, I would have made the proper arrangements."
Arthur dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand and said, "No apologies are needed. I came here because I need to speak to you regarding an urgent matter..."
"Of course," Hiromu said, lifting his head. "Please, my lord, have a seat at my desk."
As they settled into their chairs, Arthur spoke, "I need you to summon the head advisor, the secretary-general, the treasurer, and the head diplomat."
His knowledge of the council was apparent.
In Edo-period Japan, there was a hierarchical feudal system with the feudal lords standing at the apex. Underneath them were a council composed of key advisors, each with a specialized role.
The head advisor served as the primary counselor, offering strategic and political guidance. The secretary-general managed administrative affairs, ensuring the smooth operation of the domain's bureaucracy. Overseeing the financial aspects was the treasurer, responsible for taxation, budgeting, and economic policies. Diplomacy and foreign relations fell under the purview of the head diplomat.
The only thing different was that there were no samurai advisors in this country to provide real military expertise and counsel on security matters.
These council members worked collaboratively to assist the feudal lord in governing the domain effectively. While the feudal lord ultimately held supreme power, the council's input was crucial in shaping policies and making informed decisions.
"Bring them all to the meeting room immediately," Arthur demanded.
"If I may ask, why such urgency, my lord? Is something wrong?"
"No, but I believe it's time for the Water Country to undergo a transformation. A radical one."
"I couldn't agree more, my lord. Assessing our country's current situation identifies a challenge and a comprehensive strategy that not even I have been capable of. Under your reign, it will surely prosper."
"Glad ya see it my way…"
Once Hiromu left to summon the council, Arthur turned his attention to the documents scattered across the desk.
He had already done his research on the Water Country's economic situation, but a refresher would be beneficial. So he skimmed through reports on trade, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Thirty minutes later, he found himself in the main meeting room (also known as the council chamber).
It was a vast, high-ceilinged hall with walls adorned in tapestries depicting the country's history. A long, polished oak table was in the center, surrounded by expensive chairs.
Arthur sat at the head of the group, and around him was a diverse group in professional attire. Just from leading this meeting with Hiromu not sitting in the main seat, he knew he had their attention.
"I have called you here today to discuss the country's affairs," he began, standing up. "We're currently at a crossroads and must choose the right way that will lead us to better security."
The council exchanged glances. Some felt curious; others felt skeptical.
Everyone in this room was no more than salary men and women working to ensure their country's safety. Most, however, cared about their own personal affairs. Like how much their bonuses would be by the end of the year.
While prestige and reputation mattered most, not all the members in this room cared for such things regarding business reports and meetings with artisans or marketplace owners. Some genuinely desired to ensure their feudal lord's success.
Because if Hiromu was at his best, so was the country. And since Hiromu's best relied on Arthur to lead, these council members had no choice but to follow.
Why else would they have dropped everything just to come to this unexpected meeting?