Capítulo 79: Tombstones
Upon arrival, he noticed how much smaller of a village this was. It was akin to an impoverished settlement.
The people were wary, their eyes filled with distrust. Clearly, they had gone through some form of hardship or struggle.
Arthur moved cautiously with his senses on high alert. He eavesdropped on conversations, observed the villagers' interactions, and pieced together the puzzle of their daily drudgery.
It was during a casual conversation with an old man that he finally found the information he was looking for.
The man, weathered by years and toil, spoke of the brothers with a sense of calmness. He recounted tales of their bravery, their unmatched skill, and their tragic demise.
According to the old man, they had been buried in a hidden tomb. The location was a closely guarded secret, known only to a handful of people.
Arthur pressed for more details, but the old man hesitated.
"It's a dangerous place, young man," he warned. "I advise you not to head in that direction if you're looking to see the light of day tomorrow."
Arthur's resolve hardened. Danger was his constant companion.
He thanked the old man for his information and prepared to leave.
After a while of walking away from the village, he felt a strange sensation. But when he turned around, he hadn't seen anything.
'Tamashii…'
Five figures stood hidden in the shadows. They were armed and looked to have been following him.
"Come out," he demanded after deactivating his Kekkei Genkai.
"Well, well, well," one of them said as all five materialized on the road. "We heard you were asking about the Gold and Silver Brothers."
Arthur remained calm, scanning the persecutors for any signs of weakness. Much like every other character he'd come across in this country, he hadn't recognized any of them.
Perhaps they were hired mercenaries with no allegiance to any nation, seeing as how they didn't have a shinobi's headband on.
"And?" Arthur replied with a steady voice.
"And we're here to tell you that you're asking too many questions," another man replied. "Where you're thinking of going is off limits to outsiders. You'd best leave."
"Who sent you?" Arthur asked.
"Let's just say we got a tip from an old man," a woman snarled.
Arthur pieced together their motives instantly. That same "innocent" old man had ratted him out and informed these punks of his intentions.
If there was any time for someone to chuckle, now would be it. But Arthur's chuckle was mirthless.
A man then growled, "Get lost now!"
"Or what?" Arthur wondered. "You'll rough me up and send me to prison to be sold as a slave?"
The mercenaries exchanged glances. That's exactly the thought they had.
Then, with a coordinated movement, they charged, holding out their weapons—knives, kunai, and large shuriken.
Arthur moved with the speed of a striking cobra. He dodged, parried, and countered their attempts.
The mercenaries were skilled, but they were no match for his honed reflexes.
Within minutes, the floor was filled with running blood. Each mercenary sprawled on the ground, and their weapons were scattered around them.
Arthur stood amidst the chaos, hardly breaking a sweat. Not once had he used his Tamashii after its initial activation.
He had defeated them almost too easily. Perhaps they weren't as skilled as they thought.
Arthur wrapped their dead bodies in bandages and placed a flying raijin mark on each of them before burying them.
Of course, they wouldn't be used for his army of the undead. They were too weak. But he always liked to plan ahead, so who knew if these fodder would come in handy one day?
Thus was the life of a lone shinobi.
Arthur continued his path. The brothers' tomb was calling to him, and he wouldn't let anything stand in his way.
His journey eventually led him to a desolate expanse of land, a graveyard of sorts. The tombstones were monolithic, carved from obsidian stone.
Two guards stood watch over the graveyard. They didn't at all look imposing.
Arthur paused to consider. Why would a graveyard require such heavy security? The answer was obvious. The bodies buried here were deemed dangerous.
They were the legendary Gold and Silver Brothers. Arthur had already verified things with his Tamashii.
While the guards might have been shinobi, they were Chūnin level at best.
Sneaking safely inside, past the guards, he found the brothers' grave. He kneeled before the structures and performed an illusion to mask his actions.
He then excavated the earth, this form of work being nothing new to him. After a while, he reached the coffins. They were made of the same dark material as the tombstones.
He pried open the lids. Inside, the bodies of the brothers lay oddly preserved. Likely due to the lingering chakra of the Nine-Tails.
Arthur carefully extracted DNA samples from both, storing them in a scroll. Reanimating them now, using the guards, wasn't ideal; he simply needed their genetic material for later use.
With the mission accomplished, he replaced the coffins and filled in the grave as if it had never been disturbed. Then he left.
He spent the rest of the day observing the two guards, waiting for them to be relieved of duty. If one of them returned to the Cloud, it would be one of the easiest finds of a hidden village.
They were vigilant, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. But he was patient and more observant than them.
He watched as the first guard began to show signs of fatigue. The man yawned, rubbing sleep from his eyes. It was time.
With care, Arthur followed the guard from the shadows. He kept a safe distance, his eyes never leaving the guard's form or what was around him.
The guard meandered through an open path. Finally, he turned into a small, unassuming house. The house was dark, save for a faint glow from a single window.
Arthur watched him enter, puzzled as to why the guard had come here. He circled the building, searching for anything odd.
The house was small and sparsely furnished. The first thing the guard did was go to sleep on a bed in a corner of a room.
Arthur continued to search the whole house, hoping to find some clue, a map, or a hidden compartment. But there was nothing.
Perhaps the guard was posting here for a week until he would return to the village. But Arthur was by no means going to stay here that long.
The Cloud Village was a very strong village, housing one of the Treasured Tools. Yet he had a lot of work to finish on his end.
Content with what he had already gained—the DNA samples of the Gold and Silver Brothers—it was time to leave this country.
His next journey led him back to the Water Country. He arrived right inside Hiromu's office, standing in the middle of the opulent chamber.
Arthur was a very crafty man. He knew how imperative it was to have flying raijin marks in almost every place he ventured to.
Hiromu's castle was no different. There were marks secretly placed all around, allowing him not just to teleport to them but also to sense them as if he were visually seeing through a camera's lens.
The office itself screamed of wealth and power. Many lavish furnishings were inside, and intricate artwork hung on the walls. This wasn't the first time he had been here, but it was still difficult to see an area like this from the Edo era.
Hiromu eventually entered the room and was startled by the sudden appearance. He quickly bowed without hesitating.
"Greeting, my lord," he began, "My greatest apologies. I had not expected you to come; otherwise, I would have made the proper arrangements."
It should come as no surprise that a feudal lord thought highly of another. Unless they believed that person to have a higher status, they would never act this way in private.
Arthur dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand and said, "No apologies are needed, Hiromu. I needed to speak to you regarding an urgent matter."
Hiromu lifted his head and nodded, walking towards a nearby seating area.
"Of course," he said. "Please, my lord, have a seat at my desk."
As they settled into their respective chairs, Arthur took a moment to assess the situation.
"I need you to summon the key councilmen," he said in a firm voice. "The head advisor, the secretary-general, the treasurer, and the head diplomat—bring them all to the meeting for an important matter."
His knowledge of the council was apparent.
In Edo-period Japan, even in this world, there was a hierarchical feudal system.
At the apex stood the feudal lord, wielding absolute authority over the territory. Underneath them was a council composed of key advisors, each with a specialized role.
The head advisor served as the primary counselor, offering strategic and political guidance. The secretary-general managed administrative affairs, ensuring the smooth operation of the domain's bureaucracy. Overseeing the financial aspects was the treasurer, responsible for taxation, budgeting, and economic policies. Diplomacy and foreign relations fell under the purview of the head diplomat.
The only thing different was that there were no samurai advisors in this country to provide real military expertise and counsel on security matters.
These council members worked collaboratively to assist the feudal lord in governing the domain effectively. Decisions were made collectively, with the feudal lord possessing the final authority.
This system ensured a balance of power and expertise, allowing for effective administration and the maintenance of order.
While the feudal lord ultimately held supreme power, the council's input was crucial in shaping policies and making informed decisions.
Hiromu's eyebrows rose in surprise to ask, "Why such urgency, my lord? Is something wrong?"
Arthur shook his head and said, "I believe it's time for the Water Country to undergo a transformation. A radical one."
Hiromu leaned forward, his interest piqued. Arthur could tell he wanted an explanation.
"I envision a country that is strong, prosperous, and united. A country where everyone is in harmony and has security. To achieve this, we need to restructure the government, streamline the economy, and strengthen our defenses."
Hiromu listened intently, his expression growing more admirable with each passing word. When Arthur finished, he leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.
"I understand, my lord," Hiromu bowed. "Assessing our country's current situation identifies a challenge and a comprehensive strategy that not even I have been capable of. Under your reign, it will surely prosper!"
"I'm glad you see it my way…"
As Hiromu left to summon the council, Arthur turned his attention to the documents scattered across the desk.
He had already done his research on the Water Country's economic situation, but a refresher would be beneficial. So he skimmed through reports on trade, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Thirty minutes later, he found himself in the main meeting room (also known as the council chamber).
It was a vast, high-ceilinged hall, its walls adorned with tapestries depicting the country's history. A long, polished oak table was in the center, surrounded by expensive chairs.
Arthur sat at the head of the group, and around him was a diverse group, their personalities and expertise mimicking their professional attire.
He stood up to greet them.
"I have called you here today to discuss the country's affairs," he began. "We are at a crossroads, and we must choose the right way that will lead us to prosperity and security."
The council exchanged glances. Some felt curious, others felt skeptical.
Just from leading this meeting, with Hiromu not sitting in the main seat, he knew he had their attention.
Everyone in this room were no more than salary characters working to ensure their country's safety. Most, however, cared about their own personal affairs. Like how much money they would earn from their position.
They each had important things outside of this room to take care of. Such as business reports and other meetings with artisans or marketplace owners.
While prestige and reputation mattered most, not all the members in this room cared for such things. Some genuinely desired to ensure their feudal lord's success.
Because if Hiromu was at his best, so was the country. And since Hiromu's best relied on Arthur to lead, these council members had no choice but to follow.
Why else would they have dropped everything just to come to this unexpected meeting?
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