Morning.
As the first light of dawn began to rise, remnants of a fierce battle throughout the night were now visible. Massive craters pocketed the ground while burnt patches of greenery surrounded the scene like the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.
Arthur knelt on one knee with a blank expression on his face. His body was marred with bruises, scrapes, and the dark stains of dried blood.
He was drained far beyond any time in the past.
Koko had poofed away hours ago due to both her and his significantly low chakra reserves.
The barrier that had confined Shikamaru, Ino, and the others was punctured with cracks. Its integrity was failing with each passing moment, and it wouldn't be long before it completely collapsed.
Throughout the battle, Arthur had only managed to disarm his adversaries momentarily before they retrieved their weapons and charged back into combat.
That pattern continued to happen.
Healing techniques had kept him alive, but they only staved off the inevitable once his chakra started running thin.
He hadn't once activated Sage Mode, insisting to himself that he must grow stronger without relying on it. It was a bold but reckless philosophy, one he started to question as his breaths now came in ragged gasps.
"It's almost over," Shikamaru remarked as his gaze settled on Arthur.
"You're finally down for the count!" Ino added. "And when we beat you, we're going home!"
Arthur shut his eyes. He was tired. "Hmph… Is that right?"
"No more tricks!" Shikamaru declared, swiping his arm. Suddenly, he saw Arthur slowly drawing his hand into his pouch. "Shadow impersonation jutsu!"
Two shadow creatures quickly charged toward Arthur.
Just as they raced forward, Ino, who had grown accustomed to her weapon, swung the Leaf Fan, sending forth a cluster of winds mixed with flames like a tornado.
Those two were honestly not Arthur's concerns; it was the three next to them: Zabuza, Tatewaki, and Mangetsu. They were already strategically positioned to corner him no matter which way he chose to dodge.
But even in this incoming threat, he managed to pull out a red pill and pop it in his mouth.
Gulp.
Ka-boom!
The barrier exploded outward as the collision rattled the very ground beneath them, sending dust and tremours through the area.
From the mist, both Shikamaru and Ino shielded their eyes.
"I can't see anything, Shikamaru!"
"It's alright, I think we got him! But…"
"But what?!"
"What was that pill he ate?!"
Ino hadn't seen him take anything. But Shikamaru did; he recognized that pill. It looked like the very same one their former teammate Chōji had shown them in the past.
As the spectacle of destruction continued to rage, Shikamaru and Ino gasped at a glaring light from within.
"No way! That's—!"
✟
Some time later.
Asuma Sarutobi cautiously peered around a tree. The sight that met him was alarming: a once vibrant patch of land now lay desecrated.
Trees looked as if they had been torn from their roots and strewn across the ground with snapped branches.
"What the heck happened here?" he muttered to himself.
He scanned the area with a wary gaze, noting the signs of what could only have been an extreme struggle between two or more forces.
There was no doubt a battle had raged here. Strangely absent were tools and weapons. No shuriken, no kunai—nothing.
As he searched the remnants with furrowed brows, something caught his attention in the dirt. So he knelt down, brushing away the ashes and debris to reveal a pattern inscribed in the earth.
They were words in kanji.
"'ISC Yagura'?" He frowned. "I wonder what that means."
It was too curious to overlook, so he kept a mental note of it for his report.
Unable to find further insights, he decided to depart to the closest settlement for more clues.
But something troubled him once he was walking away. Whatever had happened there left a grave feeling of ambiguity in his gut.
Meanwhile, far from that disparaging scene, Arthur sat serenely at the bottom of a tall tree. His posture was relaxed against the rough bark as the new light of morning gently bathed the injuries that covered his body.
Blood trickled from his lips, staining the grass below him. Yet he appeared almost tranquil, as if he had been granted respite.
Needless to say, he was asleep.
A curious white rabbit hopped toward him. It then nuzzled against his leg, seeking warmth or perhaps simply using him as shelter from the sudden chill of the morning air.
Moments later, a bird flitted down to land on his shoulder.
With a slow blink, he opened his eyes, catching sight of the small creatures around him. But exhaustion pulled him back down, so he closed his eyes again.
'For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away… But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. (1 Peter 1:24–25).'
After remembering that verse, Arthur fell into a deeper sleep.
✟
Night eventually appeared over the clearing where he had been.
There was a crackle of leaves nearby. No doubt the subtle sound of footsteps coming to his location.
"Is he dead?" a boy whispered upon spotting Arthur.
There were two of them.
"No way!" the other replied. "He can't be; his face isn't pale enough!"
Arthur could hear them clearly. But he didn't care. Even the creatures that had been there before had already vanished.
'How long had I been out…?'
The two boys soon began debating among themselves.
"I promise he looks older than me," the first one exclaimed, trying to determine Arthur's age. "Maybe he's like thirty!"
"Nuh-uh!" countered the second boy. "I think he's more like eighteen. Just look at how tall he is."
"I'll poke him with a stick to see if he's dead then."
"Wait. Maybe we should go tell an adult about this."
"What?! Come on, quit being such a baby!"
After the boy picked up a twig, he knelt down, poised above Arthur's shoulder.
Shank!
The Long Blade flashed right through the boy's heart.
The other reeled back with terror written all over his face. Meanwhile, Arthur's gaze remained still as he held the hilt of his weapon without so much as batting an eye.
"A-ah!" the other boy stammered, stumbling to the ground. Panic arose as he quickly got up and sprinted for safety. "Mommy!"
But his escape was cut short. A loop of wires sprang from the underbrush and ensnared his neck like vines. He gasped, hands clawing at the wires until, shank, his head was sliced off.
The same boy lodged on Arthur's blade finally went limp. He hadn't even had time to scream, much less think about what happened.
Arthur let go of his weapon, allowing the Long Blade to vanish in a cloud of smoke. Then he slowly got up, ignoring the dead boy.
These things were inevitable in a world of survival. Had these two children simply minded their own business, they could have lived much longer.
Arthur was not willing for anyone to see his face. No, not after the many mistakes he'd already made in the past.
He looked down at his palms, noting the cracked remnants of his own blood. That meant he could not have been out for more than a few days.
That last trial he endured was no laughing matter because of that red pill he took.
The red pill, specifically from the Akimichi clan, could amplify the eater's strength at the cost of their vitality.
The main reason Arthur was still breathing was because of his Healing technique; it was advanced enough to fight back against the effects. But his body still ached everywhere. Even now, he was struggling to keep himself together.
Closing his eyes, Arthur began focusing on the Flying raijin marks scattered across the different nations.
The Sound Village was calm in its well-contained darkness. The Leaf Village also bore no immediate threats.
What caught his attention, however, was the Water Country. Many were still talking about their beloved John Belfort. They missed him even after being suspected of possessing chakra.
Arthur knew then what had to be done. So he rested a little longer in this clearing to let his chakra restore.
When it was enough, he performed the Transformation technique and teleported with the Flying raijin.
✟
Arthur quickly arrived on the fringes of the capital, just as the afternoon sun arose.
The guards on duty looked up at him in astonishment. "It's him! It's our beloved feudal lord!"
Before long, he was ushered into the core of the city, where many citizens gathered around him.
News reporters insisted with their pens and papers to speak first.
"Excuse me, lord Belfort! How have you managed to return?!"
"What word do you bring from where you've been?!"
"Were you always a shinobi?!"
Arthur felt their hopeful, expectant gazes weighing on him as he plastered a calm smile on his face.
"I'm doing well!" he began with confidence. "It's very warming to see each of you. I was fortunate enough to escape, and now that I'm back, you can all rest assured that I have no plans on being attacked again. Much less leaving the office."
Cheers gurgled up from the audience at his comment.
Encouraged by their enthusiasm, he leaned into the moment, recalling his escape with a touch of humour.
"But you see, I must confess—while I might know how to use some chakra, my true talent lies in running... and believe it when I say that I've had plenty of practice."
The crowd broke into laughter. It felt surreal yet intoxicating to be in the presence of their beloved leader, for not many had the chance or opportunity to ever see Arthur in person.
Now that he was back, they relished every moment.