"Why not use the first activation?" Arthur challenged.
Shira blinked, confused at first. But then the memories flooded back—he had attempted to use this technique during the tournament, and Arthur had witnessed it firsthand. Little did he know, Arthur knew all of the boy's techniques.
Shira accepted the challenge.
If he could remove his mental inhibitions, it would release him from the self-imposed restrictions in his mind.
As such, he activated the technique, mentally shedding his limitations. His senses heightened, and in that moment, he felt ready.
Filled with adrenaline, he rushed toward Arthur. Arthur, anticipating the rush, remained calm.
The boy went in for several rapid jabs, forcing Arthur to move in unexpected ways. Now the fight had shifted to match the challenge head-on.
But rather than become flustered, Arthur adopted a unique fighting stance, lowering himself close to the ground as he placed both hands down.
To Shira's astonishment, Arthur spun himself in a fluid motion, launching a kick that sent Shira flying backward. It was a movement that seemed almost breakdancing-like in its execution, perplexing and innovative.
Undeterred, Shira recovered quickly, narrowing his eyes at Arthur before charging at him again.
But Arthur was no longer standing still; he was constantly shifting, moving with a rhythm that was both mesmerizing and bewildering.
Shira aimed a kick, only for Arthur to deftly backflip away in a way that seemed to defy imagination.
Shira continued his attack, launching a high spin kick aimed directly at Arthur's head. But Arthur leapt over the strike, flipping mid-air in a demonstration of agility that stunned Shira.
Arthur landed gracefully on his feet, and with each encounter, he showcased a blend of taijutsu that mirrored breakdancing techniques.
He spun, rolled, and flowed between Shira's attacks, keeping the younger ninja off-balance. Each movement was premeditated yet fluid, a spectacle that turned the onslaught into a living dance on the field.
"That can't be all you have," Arthur tauntingly called out.
With gritted teeth, Shira refocused. He couldn't afford to falter against such a skilled opponent.
He charged again, combining a quick jab followed by a low sweep aimed at Arthur's legs. But Arthur anticipated the move, shifting his weight and spinning low to evade the sweep, then pushing off the ground into a spectacular back handspring that sent him several feet away.
This was almost maddening to the boy, who felt his confidence finally wane. He lay there flat on the floor, wondering how it was possible for someone to move like that.
For a child like him to even hope to achieve that level of skill would take decades!
The terrifying thing was that Arthur was not limited to this breakdancing-like fighting style; he had other methods of fighting that would leave true martial artists awed—all of which could be infused with chakra.
After standing up, Shira finally paused before falling to one knee pressed against the ground. Breathing became harder as he struggled to collect himself. Sweat dripped from his brow, and the weight of fatigue settled on his shoulders.
Despite his exhaustion, he didn't want this fight to end. For once, he had found a more than worthy opponent to help him get stronger.
The thought of things ending here caused him to feel frustrated, looking at the ground in disappointment.
He was prepared to activate up to the fifth activation, yet, to his surprise, he heard, "I'm done." Looking up, he saw Arthur flexing his fingers close to his face with a calm conviction. "I got what I came here for."
Shira's eyes widened in disbelief. How could he be done?
"Wait, what?" Shira exclaimed. "But I can still fight! And you didn't even break a sweat!"
The boy was right. While he had given it everything he had, his opponent hadn't shown a single sign of exertion.
Arthur didn't respond immediately. He kept flexing his fingers, examining them carefully. After a thoughtful pause, he lowered his hand, looked in Shira's direction, and said, "You're too weak to bring out the best in me."
The bluntness of his words hit Shira hard, causing the boy's eyes to widen in shock. His heart sank, and he instinctively lowered his head in disgrace, not having expected such a verbal response.
He felt hurt, embarrassed, and also a tad frustrated. Not at Arthur, but at himself.
Arthur turned and began to walk away, not at all concerned for Shira's pitiful spirit.
"Wait!" the boy suddenly called out, rising to his feet. Arthur paused, keeping his back turned. "I—I'm going to train harder! I won't disappoint you again!"
What shocked Shira next was Arthur looking over his shoulder with a smirk that promised the two would surely meet again. And in that fleeting moment, the boy understood why Arthur had come.
The moment was gone, and Arthur continued walking, retreating back toward the Sand Village.
As he moved away, he couldn't help but analyze the little training session. In truth, Shira wasn't all that weak, despite what Arthur had said. Arthur understood the boy's potential better than anyone in this world.
That same potential was raw and just waiting to be refined. It was clear the young ninja had the drive to improve, the sort of stubborn determination that promised growth. But for him to be of any use to a man like Arthur, that boy's mindset needed to be changed.
And who was Arthur not to have secretly planted something in Shira during their exchange?
The thought lingered in Arthur's mind, but then came to an abrupt stop—someone was watching him. He instinctively activated his Tamashii and noticed atop the rugged mountains, a figure lurked on the rocky terrain.
The figure wasn't trying to hide or do any of the sort. And because Arthur was training without his Tamashii and with a blindfold, he hadn't noticed them.
He remained still, seeing that the figure was rapidly approaching his direction. She showed no hostile intent and seemed more charmed than anything.
"Mind if I have a word?" a smooth female voice called out after arriving.
He recognized her the moment he activated his Kekkei Genkai: a girl with sandy blonde hair styled into four pigtails—Temari, Gaara's older sister.
Temari was written to have been a focal character. Originating from this village, she was born into the Kazekage's family as the eldest of the Three Sand Siblings.
Being the daughter of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, she was marked by her significant lineage, which includes her younger brothers, Gaara and Kankurō. Despite her prestigious heritage, she faced challenges in forming friendships during her childhood due to her family's status, leading her to have a somewhat isolated time.
The last time Arthur saw her, she had received a horrendous beatdown by Jasper, who had surprised a lot of people after activating the fourth gate and claiming the victory.
Granted, the fight was heavily one-sided. So much so that Temari was taken straight to the hospital.
Little had Arthur known, she had developed a strong distaste for Leaf shinobi since Jasper had called her an "ugly whore."
Temari's personality was characterized by her pragmatism, stoicism, and bluntness. She was also known for her straightforwardness and ability to express her thoughts, qualities that she later passed on to her son, Shikadai.
Initially, she exhibited a cruel streak, especially evident when she coldly dismissed the fate of enemies during the battle sequences in which she was involved. Quite the irony considering what she went through in the Chūnin Exams.
And from the looks of it, her physical wounds seemed to have recovered. Who knows how she felt emotionally?
"You're Temari, am I right?" Arthur asked, feigning ignorance.
Temari blinked, a tad surprised someone not from this village recognized her. The real question was if she recognized him.
She stood there, her fan resting as she explained, "Yeah, I'm Temari. I just returned from a mission and saw… well… whatever 'that' was. You two were really going at it."
Arthur remained silent. It was an instinctive reaction, a way to regulate the unease her presence stirred in him.
"I've never seen a shinobi move like that before," she continued. "I can't say I've ever even met someone with those skills either…"
Instead of engaging, he simply maintained his impassive demeanor. Temari's probing didn't sit right with him, so he silently nodded to show his appreciation.
She seemed genuinely impressed, which was only a little unusual.
Temari then shifted her stance, frustration showing in her posture as she said, "Listen, I know this might sound forward, but I'd like for you to train my brother, Gaara."
For a moment, Arthur considered the implication of her request. Training the soon-to-be Kazekage would undoubtedly place him closer to the heart of the Sand Village, allowing for insights that could be advantageous to his later missions.
Yet, there was a significant risk involved. His presence had already been made known—a fact that weighed on his decision-making. Being seen by someone of Temari's stature was troublesome enough.
From what he knew of her, she valued peace and acted as a mediator between warring parties, particularly throughout the narrative's progression toward politics.
Not as if this part was important, but she had somehow been the only character to land a hit on Madara Uchiha when all one hundred or so ninjas were embarrassingly taken down.
That just relates to how somewhat reliable her long-range techniques are. Throughout the series, she had also evolved from a Genin to a Jōnin and eventually served as a respected figure in her village's military.
A significant aspect of her development was her close relationship with Shikamaru Nara. Those two were supposed to get married and bear a child. The key words there were "supposed to."
Arthur simply didn't want additional threats to his cover.
As tempting as the offer was, he also had no desire to train Gaara—or to be drawn further into their political machinations than he already had been.
"An interesting offer," he coolly replied, "but I think your brother would benefit from training with someone else."
Temari studied him for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly as she said, "I understand if I've offended you. I just thought—"
"Maybe Shira would be a better fit," he interjected. "If you're wondering who he is, he's the boy you saw me sparring with…"
This caught Temari's interest.
"Are you really recommending him?" she asked, still a tad surprised.
Arthur nodded. In truth, those two, Gaara and Shira, had had brief training sessions during the filler arcs. It could have been an authentic story, but it was merely sprinkles of character development that didn't contribute to anything except explain what happened during their time skip.
Shira had potential, and a partnership with someone like Gaara could only elevate his capabilities.
Temari sighed, eventually offering a smile that softened her expression.
"I suppose I should have seen that coming," she admitted.
Arthur remained impassive. She was earnest, exactly as she was originally portrayed.
"I appreciate you at least hearing me out," she concluded with a slight nod. "Where are you from anyway?"
"Temari," he began, "your brother is strong. See that he becomes a fitting Kage…"
That response was unexpected, despite him having ignored her question. All she could do was say thank you as he turned to leave.
She did the same. But after taking one step, she paused, having remembered something.
"Oh, wait. There's something I meant to ask you." She spun around but was surprised when no one was present. "Seems I'll have to catch him another time, I guess."
As she shook her head, thin smoke seeped from the inner folds of her fan, a detail that would have gone unnoticed by anyone without keen eyes.
However, to those in the know, that smoke left behind the remnants of a teleportation technique within her fan. It was discreet and inside the fan itself, an area that was impossible to reach even if the fan was dismantled.
After successfully slipping out, he observed her walking away without knowing what had transpired.