After exiting the cemetery, Arthur had teleported to the outskirts of Tanzaku Town. There, he took solace in the safe confines of his own thoughts.
Obito, who had been manipulated by Madara, was truly a redundant shinobi and a failed byproduct of what a dark Naruto born in the Uchiha clan would have likely turned out.
And who could blame Arthur for believing that?
Obito knew that his goal was to revive Madara. If he understood that such a thing was possible in this world, he should have just revived Rin instead. Destroying everything could have come next.
But no.
The stupidity of these ninjas was enough to make Arthur nauseous.
Now he was stuck here contemplating things.
Tayuya had long departed, moving out of his apartment and purchasing a piece of land somewhere on the fringes of the Water Country (with his money).
Arthur had no idea when he'd be able to regroup with her again, let alone know when he'd return to that country again.
To put it bluntly, he needed to gather more adept pawns. And if the Akatsuki were trying to track him, those same pawns would be in danger since creatures like Zetsu existed.
Thankfully he still had Flying raijin marks over important territories for him to monitor.
The other problem, however, was the ongoing media frenzy. Coverage of him had spread like wildfire across many lands. There was even a scandalous rumour going on about his disappearance: The Water Country's beloved philanthropist John Belfort was being pursued like there was no tomorrow.
All of it was causing a political earthquake in the Water Country that even Hiromu wasn't sure how to properly handle.
To no surprise, Arthur's absence had prompted cries of worry among citizens who still adored him; they refused to believe he was dead. Many were even trying to defend him by stating that this was all just a conspiracy.
The secretary-general perhaps had the greatest zeal out of everyone.
Still, amidst this turmoil, there was one thing Arthur was sure of: he had to get stronger.
With the files on his operations and the fast-approaching appointment for training with Jada in the Land of Hot Springs coming soon, he decided it was time to re-energize his Gift of the Hermit chakra.
And the only way to do that was to go to the Fire Temple.
Arthur had not been there in some time.
But before he could teleport, something pricked at his senses.
'Someone's close…'
He swiftly turned to the bushline, only to see a rabbit burst through the undergrowth.
Was Arthur truly that on edge? Perhaps his senses had dulled after his recent endeavours.
Training most certainly had to be done.
'Flying raijin…'
Already, the familiar scene of the Fire Temple was in his sight, and he was now disguised as Ryugetsu.
This area never seemed to lose its aura of reverence.
As he walked around, monks in white robes paused in their tasks, many of them recognizing him. They bowed respectfully, giving him admiration earned by his past actions against the occultic group that had once threatened these sacred grounds.
Whether it was a beneficial thing or a detrimental one, Arthur could always alter his appearance to masquerade as a different-looking monk.
But there was no need for that since these were monks, not the paparazzi. Anyone else would have flocked to him with a barrage of questions.
Arthur briefly scanned the temple layout with his Crimson Gaze, only to discover Chiriku was absent.
This was alright since Arthur hadn't wanted to be disturbed anyway.
After a brief pause, focused on the location with the highest concentration of chakra in the temple. Once found, he made his way through the corridors until he reached that same tranquil garden where the pond lay.
He then sat on the ground, taking a meditative stance before closing his eyes and channeling his chakra.
✟
An hour later.
Time was honestly lost in this entranced state.
Things were calm until the rustle of underbrush caught his attention. Someone was approaching.
By the time he opened his eyes, the expected presence was seated beside him. It was Sora, the pseudo-Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
There was an embarrassed look gracing his features as he sat cross-legged, attempting to mimic Arthur's previous posture but failing to mask the awkwardness.
As Arthur rested his gaze on the boy, he drew a quick conclusion: 'So he came after hearing I was at the temple…'
Anyone could tell that Sora sought to share in the peace of meditation. But he didn't seem to have the courage to address Arthur directly like Chiriku once had.
"You know, brother Sora," smiled Arthur, "it's polite to greet others who are busy meditating."
Sora blushed, scrambling to his feet and bowing deeply. "Forgive me, brother Ryugetsu! I—I wasn't trying to be rude! I just… wanted to be close to learn from you."
Arthur softly chuckled, yet didn't find the boy's earnestness remotely humorous. "There's no need to bow so deeply, young monk. I'm not God—just a fellow now having the strange yearning for some tea."
"Tea?"
"Yes, tea… Don't tell me a young monk like yourself doesn't drink fine herbs to keep himself healthy."
Sora's face became even more ashamed, unaware that he was actually being invited to have tea.
"Of course!" he said. "I can find some right away!"
Arthur slowly stood as the boy hurried off, saying, "Take your time, and remember that you don't always have to rush things."
Sora turned, smiled, and decided to speed walk instead.
He eventually returned with a small wooden tray balanced skillfully in his hands. It bore two simple ceramic cups with steam rising from each.
"I hope this is good enough!" the boy exclaimed, presenting them. Arthur took one whiff, smiling before stating that he enjoyed green tea. "Ah! How did you know?"
"Do you doubt my senses, boy?"
"No! You're just really amazing, brother Ryugetsu!"
As the two sat together, sipping slowly from their steaming cups of green tea, Sora couldn't help but feel at ease. The tranquility of the Fire Temple provided a fitting backdrop for their exchange.
Finally, the young monk broke the comfortable silence.
"Brother Ryugetsu," he exclaimed, feeling a tad excited, "your advice really helped me, you know?"
"Has it now…?"
"Yes! I've been practicing diligently as a monk, and I can feel myself growing stronger every day!"
Arthur smiled. "That is good to hear. Dedication is an interesting virtue for a monk to possess. It reflects your commitment not just to yourself but also to those you wish to protect."
"Yeah, and I want to protect everyone!" Then Sora became a tad quiet. "But sometimes... I've been having these awful dreams. Nightmares, really. I don't know where they're coming from. It feels like they might be important, but I don't understand why."
Arthur's interest piqued. Nightmares weren't uncommon among those who regularly dwelt in darkness, but such phenomena could hold deeper meaning, especially regarding chakra in this world.
What was most evident was that it was Sora having them, a bearer of Tailed Beast chakra.
'Crimson gaze…'
Arthur subtly scanned the boy's chakra. There was a familiar pulse: the malicious nature of the Nine-Tails. He mainly recognized it after sensing that same chakra in William.
Only this one was darker. It must have been the cause of the boy's nightmares.
Arthur masked his thoughts, keeping his expression neutral as he said, "Sometimes journeys into darkness can lead to profound revelations. Sora… you should embrace those nightmares. Let them guide you, even if things seem scary."
Sora's eyes widened, not having expected to hear that.
"Remember this," Arthur finished, "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18, KJV)."
Sora absorbed the advice. Needless to say, it was the wrong one given.
If Arthur were truly helping the boy, he would have never told him to venture into the darkness.
This pseudo-Jinchūriki's latent chakra held potential that could be vital to his ambitions, so Sora absolutely had to be manipulated.
"Okay, brother Ryugetsu! I'll let those nightmares guide me then."
If everything went according to Arthur's plan, Sora might find himself ostracized from the other monks, consumed by a darkness that only he could see. It would make controlling the boy so much easier to control when the time was ripe for recruitment.