OUTSIDE IT WAS RAINING. The sky had been grey all day, and now the downpour made the ground beneath Arthur's soles slippery and muddy. He had traveled far, finding refuge in a small cave just beyond the edge of the congregation.
It had been weeks since his encounter with the Eight Tails, and only now did he think it was time to assess his progress.
Inside the cave, he pulled out different samples of the Tailed Beasts. These were precious remnants of his encounter, and he knew their significance. What he wondered was whether or not these samples would survive if he returned to his original timeline. Would they come with him or stay behind?
The Blade of Chaos was the only item tethered to him that had traveled through time. If the samples could be stored within that weapon, they might travel with him back to his own time. That way, he wouldn't risk losing them or leaving them behind.
Of course, this was just a theory.
Arthur flicked his wrist to summon it into his hand. The sword materialized with a faint shimmer, causing its light to reflect off the cave's walls. Truly one of Arthur's greatest weapons.
He focused on the compartment feature he created from the Explosive Blade form. I was a hidden storage space designed for small objects. Carefully, he opened the compartment and placed the samples inside.
As soon as he sealed the compartment, the sword reacted. The metal hummed, and the surface flickered like a flame caught in a draft. The reaction was unstable, almost as if the blade was resisting the containment.
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he tried to stabilize it with his Sage Chakra. When the chakra was poured in, it quickly calmed the sword's agitation. Then the humming subsided, and the flickering dimmed. The blade's reaction grew more subdued before settling into a steady glow.
Now he was done.
Successfully storing the Tailed Beasts' samples meant he could possibly take them with him if he returned. It was a small victory, but a crucial one.
Arthur then released the Blade of Chaos, allowing it to vanish from sight. As he stepped out of the cave into the rain-soaked landscape, he considered his next steps. Four Tailed Beast samples in his possession. Still more he could acquire.
He returned to the congregation with rain still falling around him. Once he stepped inside the main dojo, drenched, he immediately saw someone waiting for him. It was B, and he looked a little too eager.
B waved once with a wide smile upon his face. "Ah, John! There thou art. I have been seeking thee."
Arthur walked closer and said, "What aileth thee?"
"There is a rabbit. A special one. It is out in the land and can use chakra. I desire to find it ere anyone else doth. Poachers, evil monks—whosoever getteth to it first."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. A chakra-using rabbit? That was somewhat new to him. Usually, animals that can use chakra are summoning beasts. He had never heard of a creature that was not a summoning animal roaming freely.
"Exactly," B exclaimed. "That is what maketh it so interesting. I long to see saveth it."
Arthur honestly had other matters to attend to. But he also saw the worth in this. If he journeyed with B, it could enhance his reputation, especially among those who seek rare discoveries or strange phenomena. Moreover, it might be an occasion to learn what makes this rabbit tick.
"Very well," he agreed.
"Good! I knew thou wouldst see it my way." Then with eyes lit up even more, he added, "We shall go on foot. No fancy steeds nor supplies. Just us."
Arthur thought B somewhat mad, considering the weather. The rain kept pouring down, making things slick and muddy. Yet he followed B as the monk led the way out of the congregation.
The last B had heard, the rabbit had been seen near the land's borders. So they made their way.
Their movements were swift despite the rain. Arthur kept his eyes open upon their surroundings while B did the same.
When they arrived at the borders, Arthur looked around and asked, "How dost thou plan to find it? Rabbits tend to hide in rain. They are not exactly easy to spot."
"I hath a technique, brother. One known only to me. And right now, 'tis perfect for this environment."
Interested, Arthur watched as B raised his palms toward the sky. The monk then closed his eyes for a moment and stood still. The rain continued to fall, pattering upon his hands and shoulders.
A few minutes passed before B opened his eyes and looked directly at Arthur.
"I hath found her!" he declared in a confident tone.
Arthur was surprised. "Thou hast found her? How?"
B gestured with a grin. "Follow me."
The two dashed forward, leaping over roots, scrambling up small hills, and ducking under low-hanging branches. They pushed through the thick forest, moving several miles from the border as the rain still drummed down on the canopy above.
Soon, Arthur spotted an unmistakably glowing white shape hiding under a shady tree. Its fur was slightly damp, and it kept still, watching them with cautious eyes. This was the rabbit they were looking for.
From the distance they had traveled, even Arthur's Tamashii wouldn't have been able to pick out the rabbit from so far away. So he turned to B and asked, "How didst thou find it from so far? I saw not nor sensed aught."
B grinned. "I hath not yet given the technique a proper name. But 'tis a way to tap into the rain itself. When it falleth from the clouds, I can sense all that the rain toucheth. Animals, folk, even chakra signatures. Naught escapeth mine notice when 'tis pouring."
Now Arthur was impressed. Based on B's description of this technique, it closely resembled Nagato's "Rainmaker" technique. Such a technique was a clever form of perception ninjutsu used to keep a close watch over the Rain Village by controlling rain infused with chakra.
Nagato formed rain clouds with his own chakra, allowing the rain to fall and serve as a sensory link to his senses. Whenever someone entered the rain's area, he could detect their presence, although he couldn't pinpoint their exact location without assistance. He relied on others to track down intruders once the rain indicated an outsider's presence.
Nagato himself would keep the rain falling continuously until he chose to end it, especially when he was away from the village, ensuring he monitored everything from afar. And to most villagers and outsiders, the rain appeared natural, making it an effective, unseen surveillance tool.
"I have practiced it over the years," B explained. "'Tis not perfect, but 'tis effective in the rain. 'Tis how I found her from afar."
What truly piqued Arthur's interest was how he could not sense B using the technique at all. He quickly understood as to why: it was because Be was using ninshū.
"Thy ninshū is strong," Arthur probed.
B chuckled. "Yay, brother. Mine ninshū is more linked to the natural flow of things. Compared to brother A, mine is less about hand signs and 'tis more spiritual."
Arthur's suspicions were confirmed. The monks of this time period, or rather this land, used methods rooted in spiritual energy, harmony, and understanding of nature. It was closely similar to natural energy but with chakra.
Ninshū, from what he knew, was a spiritual and philosophical tradition created by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki that emphasized understanding oneself and others through the sharing of chakra.
It was originally a religion meant to foster harmony and compassion among people. And its teachings centered on using chakra to build bonds and see into the hearts of others. Despite the shift from ninshū to ninjutsu, or weaponized chakra, the core idea remained the same: that true chakra came from connection and understanding, not from domination or rawness.
In that moment of understanding, the rain finally ceased.
Arthur watched as B carefully approached the white rabbit. Surprisingly, the animal didn't dart away or show any signs of fear. Instead, it allowed B to get close, even letting him gently pick it up.
The rabbit's fur was damp from the rain, and its eyes were now trusting. B held it softly in his hands. Then, with a quiet chant, he performed a technique that siphoned the chakra from the animal. The process was quick, almost seamless, as the rabbit's body suddenly poofed away in the air.
It had returned to its land of origin.
The two looked at each other. They had succeeded in their mission.
Upon returning to the congregation, Arthur asked, "Canst thou teacheth me to better utilize ninshū?"
B's eyes widened in surprise. He wasn't going to let this moment slip him by, so he teased, "Thou knowest not of ninshū? I ne'er expected that from thee, Cloud Dancer John!"
Arthur kept a straight face. He did not comment on B's teasing tone. Instead, he calmly nodded with genuine interest. "I desire to learn. If it be as powerful as thou sayest, I should understand it better."
Unable to get the reaction he wanted, B paused for a moment and then smiled before explaining, "'Tis the way of understanding and harmonizing with nature, using spiritual energy instead of chakra alone. 'Tis older and far better than ninjutsu, for it is more rooted in the mind and spirit."
Arthur was pleased to hear that.
"Aye," B continued. "Since I am free today, I can aid thee. 'Tis not complicated, but it taketh patience and a different way of thinking. We shall start with the basics that I may see how thou senseth the natural flow of things as my father hath taught mine brother and I."
"Good. Let us begin anon."
At the outset, Arthur approached his training with a composed demeanour. B had instructed him to focus inward and to listen to both his spirit and mind.
He wasn't kidding when he said he would start Arthur with the basics. Arthur himself wouldn't rush, as that would only hinder his progress. So he closed his eyes, inhaled slowly, and felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest. B sat upon the ground, cross-legged with eyes half-closed as he watched.
The silence of the training ground was soothing, making it the perfect place to practice.
The first task Arthur had to do was learn how to sense the natural flow of chakra around him and become aware of the subtle energies that permeated the environment and his own body.
Having long known how to do this, that part was the easiest!
His posture was relaxed but attentive, while his breathing was even and deliberate.
"Thou seemeth eager," B softly regarded. "That is well. But to comprehend ninshū is not to rush."
"I knoweth…"
Arthur was encouraged to imagine his chakra as an intangible line that connected him to the world around him. In this state, it was as if he was going to enter into Sage Mode.
"Good, brother. Now extend that chakra to connect with thy surrounding."
It took only five minutes for him to experience a faint ripple within his chakra pool. He forced the ripple to extend outward like a pebble dropped into a still pond. This caused his chakra to spread in concentric circles across the surface.
He did not try to derail the connection; instead, he gently sent his awareness outward and waited patiently for a response.
As minutes passed, he began to acknowledge that the environment was trying to mould with his chakra. It was almost like he was becoming one with nature, but without the use of natural energy—just his own inner energy.
"Tis the the essence of ninshū," B explained. "Perceiving without imposing, understanding without dominating."