As far as Arthur was concerned, everything important was taking place in the Leaf Village.
The events unfolding there were pivotal, not just for him but for the entire landscape of power that he sought to manipulate.
His recent skirmish with the players had illuminated a great deal about his adversaries. In particular, Alice Yamanaka's prowess had shocked him; her ability to restrict his movements even while he was in Sage Mode indicated a significant enhancement to her sensory abilities.
This had implications—she was no longer a naïve young woman playing a supporting role; she had evolved into a formidable opponent.
Considering these changes, he knew he had to be cautious.
Observing from the shadows for too long would not be appropriate; he needed to engage information directly. But he also needed to blend in.
To accomplish this, he turned to one of his signature techniques—the Chakra Disguise technique.
This skill allowed him to shroud his presence, masking his chakra signature and allowing him to slip through the hearts of his enemies undetected.
'Transformation jutsu.'
Puff clouds dissipated, and he was now cloaked in both appearance and an illusion so deceptive that it reduced his chakra to that of a minute insect. The next step involves teleporting.
'Flying raijin.'
In less than a heartbeat, he was gone and inside the bustling atmosphere of the Leaf Village.
He never liked traversing this place since it was enemy territory. But as far as he was concerned, everyone thought he was dead, and he was great at masking both his chakra signature and his overall identity.
The quaint sounds from the village rang in his ears. Children laughed as they played catch; vendors shouted their wares; and the arouma of sizzling meat wafted through the air.
This wasn't something he was seeing in one area, but throughout a vast range of the village. That was due to his Kekkei Genkai, his Tamashii.
Distantly, he could see the training grounds busy with ninjas still honing their skills. Things hadn't changed much in this village. That was accounting for the fact that they were invaded months ago.
There were bound to be changes in the citizen's personality due to major characters missing—Ino, Shikamaru, and Kiba. Who knew what their clan members thought of Arthur for slaying them?
With his senses on high alert, he moved with ease through the villagers. This village had been traversed through many times before; the winding streets, the rustic architecture, and the smells were all recorded in the archive of his mind.
His objective lay deep beneath the village—the Anbu Black Ops headquarters.
The Anbu, as he understood them to be, are a covert organization of skilled ninjas tasked with protecting their home village from threats both internal and external.
These elite operatives are selected based on their abilities and undergo rigorous training, including the study of the body and the art of disguise.
The most notable members of these ninjas were Kakashi and Itachi, both of whom had moved on from their positions.
To maintain secrecy, Anbu members adopt masks and code names, their identities hidden from the public. They are dispatched on a variety of missions, ranging from assassinations to surveillance and intelligence gathering. Their actions often involve a level of darkness and ruthlessness that sets them apart from ordinary ninjas like Jōnin.
Despite their secretive nature, Anbu are an integral part of the village's defense.
Their dedication and skill are essential in maintaining peace and protecting the population. However, the demanding nature of their work can take a toll on their mental and emotional well-being, leading to a certain level of detachment and cynicism.
Arthur, having traversed the depths of the Leaf countless times in the past, was fully aware of the location of Leaf's Anbu headquarters—underground.
The reason he sought to enter this area was because it was a keystone in the web of secrets that comprised the village's security apparatus.
He closed his eyes and expanded his Tamashii's vision range. As the chakra waves washed over him, the Anbu headquarters lit up in his mind's eye.
The headquarters was precisely where he had anticipated it to be, and he could visualize the layout.
He let his senses wander to the second underground location he had memorized—the notorious Foundation, or Root, led by Danzō Shimura.
That place was hiding a treasure trove of secrets and potential threats for the village, yet it would take much more manipulation to access it. For now, his focus was singular.
Transforming his body into smoke, Arthur drifted through the village. He slid through the narrowest of crevices, evading prying eyes and unnecessary attention.
As he approached his target—the heavily guarded Anbu Black Ops headquarters—the buzz of chakra presences emanated from within. But he pressed on undeterred.
With the Chakra Disguise technique, he had no need to worry about detection—sensors would only register his energy as that of a minor insect who managed to crawl its way here. And Arthur was far from being foolish; he had transformed into the most common bug found in the village around this time.
More importantly, his smoke form was virtually undetectable; moving between cracks and shadows, he was as elusive as air itself.
The entry into the Anbu headquarters required finesse. He coiled around a hidden vent, navigating the labyrinth of ducts until he sensed what he needed.
Listening closely, he could make out conversations—the casual whispers of Anbu discussing clandestine missions, strategizing, reporting, and sharing information. He followed their words, searching for the heart of operations.
Finally, he arrived at one of the command rooms, a hub with foundational critical data. A large table dominated the center, scattered with scrolls and projections of team movements and missions.
Several Anbu members dressed in indistinct uniforms exchanged reports and updates. The ominous masks they wore obscured their identities but did little to hide from Arthur's visual prowess.
It was also evident what all their intent was—each one committed to the defense of their village.
Arthur took a moment to study them with heightened senses. No offense would arise from them if they did not perceive danger, and he knew that no one in the room had been alerted to his presence.
However, he still had to be careful; staying longer than necessary could potentially raise suspicions that would lead to an inquest far too dangerous for his ambitions.
A notable figure in the room caught his attention—someone whose name nabbed at the back of his mind: Yamato. The heavily layered complexities of his loyalties made him an interesting target for manipulation.
If Arthur could capture him, he could use the man to funnel information through to the Leaf, sparking movements that may wreak havoc. That or use his cells to acquire the infamous wood style Kekkei Genkai.
Considering these things, he chose neither. That Kekkei Genkai was dangerous, with a low probability of obtaining it. And as for Yamato, his character wouldn't make his debut for another three years.
Arthur preferred to keep things simple until the time was ripe. Plus, he was on a different mission, which required him to focus.
He gleaned snippets of information about missions into the Land of Wind and the activities surrounding the Akatsuki. It was mainly data pertaining to potential actions against Jinchūriki hostilities. A stimulating discussion, but nothing that of interest for now.
Arthur leaned closer to the wall, cocooned in his misty form, assessing the flow of information and mapping the emotional undercurrents of each Anbu operative. As he tuned in, he could sense unease amongst them.
"New targets," one of the Anbu stated, glancing sideways. "The prioritization of intel suggests movement against individuals associated with the Akatsuki. They've been idle while we've been consolidating our strengths."
"Right, but what of our own?" another responded, bitterness laced into his words. "The struggle in the village continues. You know who is responsible for this."
Arthur remained intrigued. The more they discussed, the more he was able to ascertain shifting sentiments toward the Leaf Village leadership.
Doubt and dissent could give rise to ideal outcomes, turning fear into distrust.
"Things feel strained," he could hear another Jordan remark. "The Hokage's decisions haven't sat well with some of us. And yet…"
"Everyone else seems willing to blindly follow this woman. What happens when lord Third finally recovers? Will he take command again?"
That was it. Herein lay the seeds of conflict he could exploit one day.
As their conversation faded, he ultimately found himself at the report center. It was a dimly lit room cluttered with scrolls, files, and technological screens. Better yet, it was empty.
He floated into the room, scouring the surface of locked drawers and cabinets. He moved swiftly through the documents strewn about, eyes scanning for anything pertinent.
He encountered a report that summarized the current structure of the Anbu Black Ops. His smoky brow furrowed slightly as he read through the lines: Tsunade Senju, the legendary Sannin, now in charge.
While he had anticipated this shift—as news of her ascendance to the position of the Fifth Hokage had already been made to the Five Great Nations. Beneath that character's brash exterior was a stubbornness that would pose a challenge to him.
The report went on to detail her newly adopted policies for the Anbu, emphasizing efficiency, discipline, and a tighter grip on operations.
Arthur had no reason to praise those efforts; he knew that Tsunade was not one to tolerate laziness or complacency in times of recovery. She would fortify the foundations of the Anbu, pushing for advancements and improvements the organization had long needed.
His attention faltered on a more pressing piece of information within the next report: a series of mentions about infiltration attempts from the Sound Village.
The Anbu, acting on intelligence from anonymous informants, had stepped up border surveillance and heightened security around the village due to increased activity from rogue ninjas trying to breach its sanctum.
Arthur immediately deduced the implications; those informants were none other than the other players who were trying to prevent Sasuke Uchiha from establishing contact with Orochimaru's henchmen: The Sound Ninja Four.
Disheartening was a mild term for what he felt. He couldn't afford for Sasuke to be permanently tethered to the village—his objective hinged precariously on unraveling those ties.
If Sasuke remained in the Leaf under the uncertainty brought by Tsunade's leadership and the Anbu's protective watch, Arthur's grand plans would spiral in an unfavourable direction.
He needed Sasuke to fall into Orochimaru's arms. It was a simple but effective gambit—one that would create a cascade of reluctance and dissatisfaction among the other players.
"Hmph," he scoffed.
Frustration threatened his mind, but he easily pushed it down.
While not the worst news, he still had an advantage that no one else was aware of—the Evil Illusion Flattery technique. So long as that was still intact, Sasuke's personal desire to abandon the Leaf Village was not going to change.
If Arthur recalled correctly, Orochimaru sent four specialized ninjas to further manipulate the Uchiha into leaving the village. How they managed to infiltrate the village in such a manner was impeccable.
Once they succeeded, Sasuke departed in the den of night. He was stopped by Sakura, who cried and threatened to scream if he left, but he knocked her unconscious. Only after she arose, she reported what happened, which prompted Tsunade to assemble a team consisting of Shikamaru, Kiba, Chōji, Neji, and Naruto to rescue the Uchiha.
Rock Lee and ninjas from the Sand Village would later arrive as backup.
Oh, how much has things have divulged from the original tale. Not only was this not going to happen, but now Arthur needed a new plan to ensure the Uchiha would be taken by the snake.
He shifted through another stack of papers, hoping for something—anything that would indicate a chink in the armour of the Leaf Village's defenses. Now that it was in Tsunade's capable hands, she had fortified things against any intrusions.
Another report detailed the deployment of Anbu squads assigned specifically to track known faction movements within the village.
Each page he skimmed through made it alarmingly clear: he couldn't do a darn thing.