Chapter 71: Shadow Ruler
Murmurs erupted. Seventeen years into his reign, Hiromu had never so much as hinted at a successor.
Rumours of discontent had always swirled around the fact that his only son, a pampered and arrogant youth, lacked the temperament and discipline to rule.
This announcement was a bombshell, fracturing the carefully constructed political landscape within the castle walls.
A tense silence followed Hiromu's declaration. All eyes swiveled towards Arthur, the stranger who had suddenly become the center of attention.
His face remained impassive. Internally, however, he was simply patient. This was far better than he'd anticipated, with the genjutsu working with an efficiency that bordered on unbelievable.
Suddenly, a woman's voice cut through the silence: "My lord, with all due respect, surely this is a decision that requires careful consideration. After all, Mr. Belfort, while undoubtedly a man of… refinement, has been with us for a mere evening."
This was one of Hiromu's most trusted advisors, a woman renowned for her political acumen.
Arthur knew she wouldn't be easily swayed; her loyalty was rooted in a deep sense of duty to the nation, not blind obedience to a feudal lord.
"Indeed," Hiromu replied. "Mr. Abernathy, or should I say, John… possesses a unique blend of experience and vision. He has impressed me with his insights into the challenges facing our nation, and I believe he is the ideal candidate to lead us into the future."
John, as Arthur preferred to be addressed for now, inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. He knew the charade wouldn't last forever.
Hiromu wasn't a fool, and the constant praise could backfire. Arthur needed to establish himself as a leader, not just a charismatic stranger.
As if sensing his thoughts, Hiromu raised his hand, silencing the room once more.
"Let us raise a toast," he declared. "To prosperity, stability, and a bright country under my new successor, John!"
Hesitantly at first, the others raised their goblets, wishing Arthur "good fortune" and "wise decision."
Arthur met their gazes one by one, giving them hopeful smiles.
The illusion had done its work. Now came the difficult part: earning their loyalty, not through manipulation but through action.
The night wore on, and the focus of the conversation shifted from the unexpected announcement to the state of the nation.
Arthur, expertly navigating the political discourse, found himself fielding questions on everything from trade routes to agricultural yields. His knowledge from his traveling experience surprised even the most qualified advisors.
He spoke not just with authority but with a genuine understanding of the people's needs. Each insightful comment and each well-placed suggestion served to further solidify his position as the chosen successor.
By the time the last guest had departed, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Not a single one of them departed without understanding that Arthur was fit for the role.
The facade held, but the pressure to maintain it was immense. He knew he couldn't rely on the genjutsu forever. He needed to find a way to establish his legitimacy and win the people, not just the feudal lord.
The following morning, Arthur returned to the castle for a private meeting with Hiromu.
They met in his bedchamber, a lavish and sparsely decorated room. Gone was the jovial camaraderie of the previous night. Hiromu addressed him as "lord John."
"Let's get to real business," Arthur commanded. "Show it…"
Hiromu scurried to obey, his movements uncharacteristically subservient.
A clutter of scrolls and documents piled on a nearby table. Arthur studied the documents, needing to understand the state of the nation.
Many of them regarded pleas for permits, complaints about failing crops, and reports of natural disasters. Floods were apparently ravaging farmlands, and earthquakes were toppling buildings.
Arthur sifted through the documents, his brow furrowing in concentration.
Being a feudal lord wasn't just about political maneuvering; it was about the well-being of an entire nation.
Arthur hadn't just become the successor; he was the feudal lord!
And his goal wasn't to become a benevolent ruler—not even close.
He scanned the documents, searching for something specific. Tucked away amidst a stack of trade agreements, he found it—an unmistakable map of the location regarding the Hidden Mist Village.
This was what he'd been working toward. But his business here wasn't finished.
He met Hiromu's gaze and commanded, "Tell me everything you know about my hidden village."
Hiromu described in detail everything he knew. From their enclave of ninjas to their current status.
Arthur listened intently while also reading more of its contents.
The Village Hidden in the Mist is shrouded in mist, making it difficult to find. The standard attire for Mist ninjas consists of black clothing and a flak jacket, and many use water style techniques.
The village itself was founded after the Warring States Period. Shortly after its formation, they received two Tailed Beasts from the Leaf Village to create balance among the ninja nations.
However, the Mist soon became involved in many conflicts. Their society was divided into a caste system, with those from conquered nations placed in the lowest caste and forced to perform the most dangerous missions.
They in turn gained a dark reputation as the "Village of the Bloody Mist" because of a graduation ritual where students would have to fight to the death.
This tradition was eventually discontinued, but the village's reputation for violence remained. The fourth Mizukage's reign was a particularly dark time, as he was secretly controlled by Obito Uchiha.
During this time, many skilled ninjas, like Zabuza, defected from the village.
Their current Mizukage was Mei Terumī. Arthur knew a great deal about her since she was a Kage.
Mei was written to have been a strong kunoichi. She took office after the dark period for the village and has been hard at work to rebuild diplomatic relationships with other villages.
She is a calm and observant leader, a skilled fighter who can use various elements such as water, fire, earth, and lightning. Her true power lies in her two Kekkei Genkai: vapour style and corrosion style.
Corrosion style allows her to spit acidic mud that melts almost anything, while vapour style creates a scarring mist that can burn through strong defenses.
What Arthur found most important wasn't her, but that the village was home of Hiramekarei, the Twin Blades.
He needed Hiramekarei, and he needed it fast.
Three days later, a commotion outside his hotel room awoke Arthur from his meditation.
A heavy crate stood outside his door. He already knew what it was.
Inside his room, he pried open the crate.
Nestled within, wrapped in layers of silk, lies Hiramekarei!
Arthur neither grinned nor smiled, as that wasn't his real persona. He was merely content that his plan had worked.
Three days ago, he had instructed Hiromu to send a message to the Mizukage. The message was simple: the Seven Swords were deemed too dangerous, a threat to the stability of the land.
To ensure national security, Mei was instructed to confiscate Hiramekarei from its current wielder, Chōjūrō.
Who was Mei to refuse a direct order from her feudal lord? Or rather, who was she to refuse Arthur Bennett, the new shadow ruler of the Water Country?!
The façade had extended far beyond the castle walls, his influence reaching the very heart of the Hidden Mist Village.
Hiromu, terrified of facing Arthur's displeasure, played his role well. He had packaged the weapon and arranged its clandestine delivery to Wizened Town.
It was a risky maneuver that could have backfired spectacularly. But Arthur had calculated the odds, and his plan had paid off.
Hiramekarei was now his!
Arthur gradually unwrapped the weapon to gauge its destructive prowess.
The weapon was truly a remarkable sword, being ranked second best among the other seven—Samehada ranked number one respectfully.
It has a unique design with a wide, flat blade and two handles, resembling a flounder fish.
The key ability of Hiramekarei is its chakra storage. By releasing the stored chakra, the user can transform the blade into various chakra-like weapons, like a hammer or a long sword.
The more chakra stored, the bigger and more powerful the weapon becomes. It can even create light blue crystals and needles for offense and restraint.
And why it was also called the "Twin Blades" was because it can also detach into two single-handled swords for dual wielding.
Now no one could say that Arthur wasn't a being to be taken lightly.
Six of the seven swords. The thought was insane to believe.
Kisame Hoshigaki, the current wielder of Samehada, was still out there. But for now, Arthur had more than enough swords at his disposal.
And while power was paramount in this world, his control over the Water Country was even greater.
Arthur traced the wicked curve of Hiramekarei's blade with a fingertip. He considered his other priorities, sealing the weapon into a scroll.
His gaze drifted to the window, where the afternoon sun cast an orange glow over Wizened Town.
Chōjūrō would undoubtedly find a way to compensate for the loss of Hiramekarei. Perhaps acquire a new weapon or fighting style.
But that wasn't what was on Arthur's mind. He wasn't interested in the causes and effects his actions might have on a single ninja.
Who knows what the other players were up to? He recalled the look Jada had given him during their last encounter. She, like the others, was strong.
What Arthur needed was something that would truly tip the scales in his favour; something that the other players would have trouble defending against.
His eyes narrowed as he understood what he needed—a Tailed Beast.
Capturing one of those colossal chakra monsters would be a significant change. It would solidify his dominion over most things and send a shockwave throughout the entire ninja world.
Arthur closed his eyes.
Yes, a Tailed Beast. That was his next target.
His eyes opened in disappointment. The intoxicating ambition curdled into understanding.
He was strong, yes, but powerful on paper only. Wielding Hiramekarei was one thing, and perfecting its unique properties was another. And six swords, while a formidable collection, were useless without the skill to wield them effectively.
Arthur was only able to utilize the Boltswords, and even that weapon's skills he hadn't fully harnessed yet.
Capturing a Tailed Beast was an audacious goal, and charging headfirst into such a battle was a fool's errand.
He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall.
The Flying raijin is a powerful teleportation technique, yet he could barely muster it twice in a fight. Reanimation technique, the ability to summon the dead, but he could only manage a single, unruly corpse—needing Sage Mode to fully control it.
Even Koko, his loyal summon, was a young primate with barely any combat experience.
Arthur needed more than ambition; he needed refinement.
He closed his eyes to weigh his options. Training. Rigorous, relentless training.
For a while now, he had never trained hard in anything save his taijutsu. There was his chakra control, yes, but these were naturally given to him because of his character's support trait.
While his ninjutsu was also alright, his entire skillset relied on tactical advantage, subduing his opponents with various techniques until they could no longer figure him out.
Place Arthur in a one-on-one match to the death against a player like Jasper, and he was bound to lose eventually.
Most of his fights had been won because his enemies didn't know what they were facing.
He had bested Raiga because an Anbu had intervened in the match. He had demolished Ino and Shikamaru because they were young and incapable of grasping the severity of the situation.
He defeated Chōji in one blow because the latter was fat and too slow to react. He conquered Sasuke, a feat that no even William could perform, because he toyed with the Uchiha's emotions, forcing Sasuke's judgement to be clouded.
He outclassed Rock Lee because the character was a taijutsu-only user, and because the Seven Heavenly Breaths were better than the Eight Gates. He slew Kiba and Akamaru because they rushed in impulsively, unaware that the Boltswords used little to no chakra.
He won against three samurai at once because his Tamashii could predict their swings and see chakra.
Arthur had honed his skill with strong techniques and borrowed power for far too long. Now, it was time to put things to use. He would start with the most fundamental skill—kenjutsu.
All six of his unique swords deserved a true wielder, not a pretender.
But theory without practice was as empty as a scabbard without a blade. He needed real fights. He needed to test his limits, feel the sting of defeat, and rise stronger from those losses without using things like cheap Kekkei Genkai.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes and walked outside to the high balcony.
The world was a vast training ground, filled with both allies and adversaries. It was time to put his skills to the test and push his limits once again.
This wouldn't be a hunt for a Tailed Beast; it would be a hunt for himself, a pursuit of true skill.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone