Outside of villages, there were three main types of ninjas: tracker ninjas, rogue ninjas, and mercenaries.
A tracker ninja is often associated with a special team within a village's Anbu and is responsible for hunting down and eliminating rogues. They possess superior assassination techniques and medical skills and are known for completely erasing their targets by killing them and disposing of their bodies.
They typically wear distinctive masks and uniforms, reputed for thoroughly obliterating their targets.
A rogue ninja is a ninja who has abandoned their village without intention of returning and is considered a criminal by their former village. Rogue ninjas are listed in their village's bingo book to be killed on sight and are often hunted down by tracker ninjas.
Arthur would be classified as a rogue ninja.
Then there were mercenaries, skilled ninjas who were hired to fight for another country or organization in exchange for payment. Mercenaries are not bound by the laws of the ninja system and may betray their clients if it benefits them financially.
They may also be at risk of being betrayed by their clients, who may not pay them as agreed or may have ulterior motives.
Names blurred as Arthur flipped through the pages of the bingo book, his focus on entries that had hefty rewards.
Faces like Itachi Uchiha stared back at him. The Uchiha's bounty, a staggering fifty million ryō, declared him wanted dead or alive.
Kakashi Hatake came next, his five million ryō bounty considerably lower but still substantial. Wanted alive, the book specified.
Arthur scoffed.
Further in, he found entries for Orochimaru and his loyal follower, Kabuto Yakushi. The former's bounty dwarfed even Itachi's with a terrifying one hundred million ryō, wanted dead.
It was reasonable to believe since this Sannin conducted twisted experiments and constantly defied the established powers.
Most of these bounties made sense, considering Asuma Sarutobi was shown to have a bounty of thirty-five million ryō in the original story. And his partner, Chiriku, also had a bounty of thirty million ryō.
Arthur continued flipping.
His own goals were far grander than a few pockets of gold, but these entries were still valuable.
Then, a name jumped out at him: Zabuza Momochi, the notorious rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist Village.
The picture was of a man with a cruel gaze and a mask. Wanted dead or alive, the book declared, with a bounty of thirty-five million ryō!
Arthur stopped.
Zabuza was not supposed to be alive around this time. Who knows what him and his partner, Haku, were doing?
And what of the Executioner's Blade? Now that was a prize worth pursuing. Its ability was exactly what Arthur needed.
He wouldn't just be hunting Zabuza for the bounty; he'd be acquiring a potential weapon of power. A weapon that, combined with Boltswords could tip the scales in his favour.
With purpose, he closed the bingo book. He had his target.
Zabuza Momochi was a powerful and complex shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village.
Early on, he displayed exceptional talent, even killing over a hundred students before entering the village's academy. This act earned him a sadistic nickname.
He rose through the ranks, becoming an Anbu and later joining the prestigious Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Wielding the giant broadsword, the Executioner's Blade, he was a skilled swordsman known for his ruthlessness and efficiency in battle.
However, Zabuza became disillusioned with the Bloody Mist era of his village. He attempted a coup d'état but failed, forcing him to flee with his devoted student, Haku, who possessed a special ice Kekkei Genkai.
Zabuza then became a mercenary, taking on missions to gather funds for a second coup. Despite his initial coldness towards Haku, a deep bond formed between them.
During a mission in the story, he sacrificed himself to protect Haku, revealing a hidden compassion. This act of selflessness, however, never managed to happen, resulting in a butterfly effect.
While a skilled and ruthless fighter, Zabuza's story highlights the complexities of human nature, showcasing a warrior capable of both brutality and surprising loyalty.
His student, Haku, was written to be a more tragic character. Orphaned after his Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release, was discovered by his father, he became a lonely wanderer.
Zabuza saw potential in Haku and offered him purpose as his "tool." Despite being a skilled and deadly fighter, Haku disliked killing and sought ways to avoid it.
His loyalty to Zabuza, however, was firm, bordering on filial devotion. He believed a person's true strength came from protecting someone important.
Haku was also stated to possess exceptional talent. He's incredibly fast, and his Kekkei Genkai allows him to create and manipulate ice for offense and defense.
What's even more dangerous about him is his keen mind, which extends beyond combat. He possesses knowledge of anatomy, herbalism, and even animal behaviour.
Despite all those skills, he met a heartbreaking end, sacrificing himself to protect Zabuza in the story. But, much like Zabuza, he was able to roam the world for who knows what reason.
Wizened Town faded behind Arthur as he ventured deeper into the mainland.
Damp green forests rose before him, their branches heavy with mist. This was perfect. The foliage offered both cover and seclusion, making it ideal for entering Simian Sage Mode.
He found a clearing and settled into a lotus position, closing his eyes to focus. It was a delicate task—the act of balancing his own energy and the world around him—but it was one he had gradually been perfecting.
With a familiar warmth, his senses exploded. For miles on end, the world sharpened in an array of vibrant colours and sounds. He could see the tiny insects scuttling on the wet floor, the sap coursing through the towering trees, and even the stream hidden beneath the rocks—all from a vast distance.
This was the heightened perception granted by Simian Sage Mode, his vision extending for miles in all directions.
A feat like this should come as no surprise. Naruto himself was able to sense an entire war going on in different sections of the country while in Sage Mode.
Regardless of what level Arthur was at, his Sage Mode allowed him to do the same, with his enhanced senses being quite formidable.
He spent a few minutes scanning the vast range in calmness, his focus on seeking out a specific kind of chakra signature—the unique signatures of ninjas.
He had hoped to pinpoint the Hidden Mist Village directly so that he could have a clear starting point for his hunt. But to his surprise, there was nothing. No concentrated cluster of powerful chakras that would signify a populated ninja settlement.
Why couldn't he find the village? Was it hidden deeper within the Mist Country, or was its barrier simply too powerful that he couldn't penetrate it? Or perhaps there was another reason.
He continued his search, his focus shifting to individual chakra signatures. He found a variety, some strong and steady, others faint and fleeting.
Some belonged to bandits or lone travelers; their signatures were too small for him to bother with. Others, larger and more controlled, suggested skilled ninjas, likely on missions or patrolling their own territories.
But then, two distinct signatures caught his attention. They were large, powerful, and unmistakable—the unmistakable signatures of highly skilled ninjas. Furthermore, they were moving together—a seemingly unlikely pairing.
Intrigued, Arthur shifted his focus, channeling his enhanced vision in their direction.
The mist swirled and parted, revealing a dirt road snaking through an open path. And on that road, walking side-by-side, were two figures he recognized instantly.
A tall, hulking man with cruelness in his eyes, his signature broadsword strapped across his back—Zabuza Momochi! And beside him, a figure clad in a light kimono, his chakra signature calm and controlled—Haku!
Arthur had found his target, not lurking in some hidden village but out in the open, vulnerable. They were traveling in broad daylight, seemingly unguarded.
Were they headed somewhere specific? On a mission, perhaps? Or, more likely, were they simply careless, arrogant, and even in a territory they probably considered beneath them?
He couldn't distinguish their exact location from this distance, but it didn't matter. He had visual confirmation to work with.
Now, the real question was how to approach them. Should he attack them head-on, relying on his abilities and the element of surprise? Or should he wait, observe their movements, and learn more about their destination or purpose?
Arthur knew full well that, while he was strong, he wouldn't be a match for these two killers alone. But by no means would he let his prey escape.
His Sage Mode was deactivated. Zabuza and Haku were roughly twelve miles northwest of his current location, traveling at a leisurely pace down a secluded forest path.
This was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.
Time was of the essence. He pushed himself to his feet. He needed to reach them before they reached whatever destination they were headed towards.
If he wasn't hurrying, he could risk losing track of them.
With a burst of speed, he launched himself through the undergrowth. Trees went past him as he focused solely on the route ahead.
Finally, after sprinting nonstop with his Tamashii on high alert, the familiar feel of Zabuza's and Haku's chakra signatures reached him.
He skidded to a halt beneath the canopy of trees. He was close. Very close.
Zabuza looked exactly like Arthur remembered. He was a tall, muscular man with spiky black hair and dark brown eyes. A mask was covering the lower half of his face, and beneath it revealed jagged teeth.
He was also dressed in loose pants, a belt to hold his giant sword, and arm and leg warmers.
Haku himself wore the standard Mist ninja outfit with a green coat over it. He also had on a brown sash, sandals, and blue-green nail polish.
While his face couldn't be seen because he was wearing his country's Anbu mask, Arthur remembered that he was a fifteen-year-old boy with long black hair, pale skin, and dark brown eyes.
The two couldn't be seen with the naked eye, but the sound of their conversation, muffled by the distance, filtered through Arthur's location.
He needed to act swiftly. A frontal attack, even with his Sage Mode, wasn't ideal.
Zabuza was a formidable opponent, and Haku's ice techniques could turn the tide in their favour. Arthur had already thought about the right tactic, the perfect edge, a surprise attack that would leave them reeling before they could react.
On top of this, they would help him test his might.
With a relaxed breath, he closed his eyes, focusing once again on the natural energy around the forest. His senses sharpened once more as he re-entered Simian Sage Mode.
Roughly five minutes of intense concentration had passed. When his eyes opened, they glowed with a faint red light, signifying he was utilizing his Tamashii.
This time, however, his objective wasn't enhanced perception. He needed chakra, and Sage Mode offered a near-limitless supply of it.
'Summoning jutsu: reanimation.'
The air shook slightly, and moments later, a coffin materialized before him.
With a creak of aged wood, the lid burst open, revealing the figure of Minato, his youthful face covered in cracks.
This was Arthur's first time performing the reanimation technique while in Sage Mode. He could feel a far better surge of control compared to the last time he used the forbidden technique.
The usual struggle for dominance—the reanimation's will fighting against his own—was completely absent.
He wasn't just controlling Minato; he was an extension of him. He felt the legendary ninja's honed reflexes, the unparalleled speed, and the arsenal of jutsu at his fingertips.
It was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.
Minato's abilities were quite vast, making him hailed as the fastest ninja of his time. His natural speed and agility were impressive, but his true advantage came from the perfection of his flying raijin.
He could summon giant toads to fight alongside him, use barrier techniques for defense, and sense chakra signatures from afar. He had also created the Rasengan, teaching it to the likes of Jiraiya, his own teacher.
And his merits don't end there.
He carries a vast knowledge of sealing techniques and has undergone a variety of transformations—Toad Sage Mode and Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
Arthur knew practically everything about him!