Capítulo 207: Xavier
Navigating, he soon found himself at the city's outskirts and took to the skies, soaring high above the land until he spotted another market dedicated to farming supplies.
He landed discreetly away from the commotion, adopting a thoughtful demeanor as he walked through the many stalls.
There were so many vendors shouting to attract customers.
"Come one and all and buy your go-to book on how to farm!" one vendor screamed above the rest.
Arthur couldn't help but see what this seller was so passionate about. When he looked at his wares, a specific book caught his attention: "The Practical Guide to Farming by Akito B. Takahashi."
"How much for this?" he asked the vendor.
"Ah!" the man answered. "That'll be three ryō, kind sir."
After buying the book, Arthur continued to browse through the various booths, his eyes scanning for the items on his list.
It didn't take long for him to find a particularly affluent shop, the arrangements inside suggestive of quality goods, far beyond what was deemed normal from a mere farmer's supply store.
Inside, rows of neatly organized packets of seeds, various herbs, and large bags of rich soil awaited him. With his Tamashii, he noticed more soil stored in the back. This was the exact type of place he needed to make his purchases.
As he perused the aisles, he noted the different seed varieties. A saleswoman approached him and pleasantly asked, "Can I help you with anything today, sir?"
Without saying a word, he handed her the list he had prepared. She took a moment to scan its contents. Then her brows knitted together in astonishment as she took in the sheer quantity of what he demanded.
"You… you want all of this?" she stammered, not at all hiding the surprise in her tone.
"Yes…" he nonchalantly answered, continuing to browse the rest of the items.
Unperturbed by his casual nature, the saleswoman's disbelief compelled her to hurry off, pleading, "Please wait right here!"
She disappeared to the back, eventually reappearing moments later with the owner, an elderly man with a sharp gaze that assessed Arthur critically.
"Are you serious about all of this?" the owner asked with incredulity.
Arthur turned slightly. Instead of answering, he tossed a stack of ryō toward the man. The owner caught it, eyebrows raising even higher as he counted the bills with surprise. The money was real; that much was certain.
"I'll need you to package everything," Arthur casually said.
The owner hesitated for a brief moment before finally nodding.
"Wait here," he said, "and I'll prepare everything immediately!"
He vanished again, sending staff scuttling about to collect and package the bewildering amounts of goods Arthur had requested.
Was it really that easy for him? No, money just talks.
What had made the owner so astonished was the staggering quantity of soil Arthur had included in his list—a confounding fifty-five thousand pounds. It baffled the owner because this was something that bordered on absurdity, equating to fifty thousand ryō, a figure nearly double the man's salary.
He couldn't help but wonder what a gentleman of such wealth would be using that amount of soil for. And he honestly could care less.
What shop owner would deny someone wishing to buy out their entire inventory to help maximize their profits?
Regrettably, Arthur soon understood that the shop didn't have nearly that much soil in stock; for now, he'd have to settle for the offerings they did have.
As the employees hustled around, packing everything from seedlings to high-quality growth mediums, he could only hope the next shop would be fully stocked.
Finally, after some time, the store was emptied out—almost everything brought to the back for him was gone, save for some lackluster seeds no one would buy and an array of animal equipment.
Arthur had spent a hefty thirty thousand ryō. It would have been fifty had they had enough soil. Nonetheless, he still had a significant portion of his money left.
As he stood outside with the owner, the elderly man sported a proud grin that belied his earlier shock. The owner asked, "It seems you have quite the fortune. Would you like me to arrange a carriage to deliver everything to your estate?"
"Thank you, but there'll be no need for that," Arthur coolly replied, keenly aware of how the owner viewed his persona as a wealthy merchant.
"Suit yourself," the owner shrugged, not the least bit concerned about how Arthur would manage to transport the bulk of supplies on his own. All that mattered to him now was the clear profit made from the surprising sale.
He grinned back toward the shop, relaying his triumph to his assistant as he mentally tallied the profit made.
"Can you believe how much we made?" The owner gushed, buoyant with excitement. "We should have stocked up more; this was our best sale all day! No, all year!"
The assistant was also pleased with her boss's victory, reveling in their shared fortune. Then she beamed, "You made sure to give him a receipt in case he comes back, right?"
The owner froze with an expression slipping into panic as he quickly realized that he had forgotten the essential paperwork.
"No, I—" he stammered, rushing toward the door.
But when he stepped outside, his mouth fell open. He expected to see Arthur still lingering, perhaps considering one last item, but instead was met with empty space where the man had stood just moments before.
Not only was Arthur gone, but so were all the packages—everything he had just purchased was nowhere in sight. It was as if the ground had swallowed everything whole, leaving nothing but the earth.
"Wh… what happened?" he wondered aloud.
Had Arthur somehow taken the items without him noticing? How was it possible for someone to simply vanish as if they had somehow teleported without anyone noticing?
His colleague had truly struck gold today, and yet now, it appeared they had lost and bewildered a customer whose wealth had only compounded the mystery of the day.
Later, the sun began to set.
Arthur, having successfully acquired a significant haul of materials over the past few hours, now felt fatigue. He had shifted strategically through the markets of the Land of Money in the guise of several inconspicuous merchants, carefully concealing his true identity.
The merchants around him reveled in the booming sales, many alighted with excitement over the unexpected demand for garden supplies. Local shopkeepers had gone so far as to order overnight shipments and huge supplies, though none could trace the source of this uplift in business.
They only understood that the town was thriving, completely unaware of Arthur's careful orchestration.
The amount of chakra he had left was only enough to return to the Cayman Jungles. As such, he performed the flying raijin, transporting himself and the remaining supplies to his plaza.
Koko was eagerly awaiting his return, having been playing with the materials he'd teleported over. For some odd reason, she found eating the rich dirt more appetizing than popping the bubble wraps.
When she saw him, she was just as eager to shower him with affection and offer her assistance in replenishing his chakra reserves.
After a taxing day of acquiring goods, he decided to call it a day. He settled in a quiet corner, allowing himself to consider things.
Koko energetically clambered about, grabbing items to display.
His own mind was plagued by concerns regarding the specific materials he had left on his incomplete blueprint. The items listed were crucial for completing his laboratory—tools and devices needed for the experiments he aimed to conduct.
He had assigned all the plans to Xavier, and now look where it got him.
He understood the implications behind Xavier's seemingly banal request to keep the plaza's details under wraps. How else could the Mizukage have caught onto Arthur's plans?
It was out of character for Xavier to advocate for discretion unless he had something to hide. Was he cleaning up the traces of their association to salvage his own reputation after Arthur's hasty exit from the Water Country?
The more he reflected, the more he understood that Xavier had compromised the idea of privacy surrounding their dealings.
Setting his jaw, Arthur resolved to confront this betrayal head-on.
If he needed to reclaim his blueprints, he would have to infiltrate Xavier's headquarters again. He could obtain a list of the materials from the original plans and see what had changed during the mob boss's oversight.
With some of his chakra restored, he pushed aside the fatigue and activated the flying raijin once more, reappearing in the Water Country.
Surprisingly, there were no guards.
It was evening now, and while most of the city had begun its nighttime routine, the lights from the Vinci headquarters caught his eye.
He turned himself into smoke and drifted toward the building, gliding through the cracks in the door as it creaked ajar. Inside, several employees remained at their stations even after working hours.
This was atypical of them, since in the world of Naruto, it was heavily influenced by Japanese culture. If Arthur recalled, the term for this was associated with "karoshi," which translates to "death from overwork."
He navigated the confines of the building without drawing attention to himself, scanning every corner in search of any documents or plans that might illuminate what Xavier had decided to change.
The deeper he went, the more he began to believe that Xavier had indeed been hiding something.
During his stealthy reconnaissance, Arthur's focus sharpened as he made his way to Xavier's office. Preferably, any records of his dealings with the mob boss would be stored there, assuming they weren't already hidden or destroyed.
Arriving, he coalesced back into his solid form, suppressing his chakra. He approached the desk, opening drawers and riffling through various papers that would offer insight into his previous discussions with Xavier.
Yet, as he combed the documents, he found nothing. A series of invoices, contracts, and random memos littered the surface but bore no relevance to his plaza or laboratory.
'Xavier, you...'
If Arthur's dealings with the mob boss weren't here, then where had they gone? Perhaps Xavier had either destroyed them or carefully hidden them away. Or maybe the Mizukage came here and confiscated them as evidence.
Arthur shifted himself, every instinct now on high alert, as he closed the first drawer and opened the second. Again, nothing.
Then a slip of paper caught his eye in the organized third drawer. It bore an address—Xavier's, to be exact. A thought came to mind: it was time to pay the mob boss an unexpected visit.
Lowering the paper back into its drawer after memorizing the address, he turned into smoke and slipped out. There was no point in remaining in the office or the headquarters.
If the files he sought were not here, then his only other option was to confront Xavier directly!
As night came, Arthur found himself about twenty miles to the north of the city—a prime locale for someone like Xavier, who craved both opulence and coverage amidst the façade of a mobster.
From Arthur's vantage point, he could see the opulent mansion. The massive estate had a set of large hedges bordering it. The house was more than luxurious; it was akin to a fortress discreetly tucked away from the world, surrounded by dense woods and a giant lake that served more like a barrier.
It was the perfect lair for a mob boss, especially one worth billions, and the exterior spoke of wealth and power. What was even better was the isolation it presented—a fitting hideaway for any man trying to hide from public scrutiny.
Guards were minimal—partly because Xavier likely considered himself untouchable within the confines of his domain.
But what Arthur truly cared about was that the lights of the mansion were on.
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