The next few days passed quicker than expected.
Arthur couldn't afford to appear rusty, so he had kept up his training for the upcoming tournament. This also involved him refining his other techniques.
He had focused heavily on perfecting the chakra flow required to execute stronger ninjutsu and escape illusions. He also spent hours trying to refine the flow of natural energy around.
Throughout that time, no one was aware of his true acts.
On his last night, as he sat cross-legged under the shade of a oak tree, a thought struck him.
'The curse mark…'
Alex had mentioned trying to convert Orochimaru's chakra and make it his own. If Arthur could learn how to do that with other people's chakras, would he be able to orchestrate something new with the Reanimation technique?
The possibility seemed plausible, but not something that could help him immediately grow.
When he stood up, he let the black sclera fade from his Sage Mode eyes. He still had a lot to learn, as well as a lot of dangerous options to consider. But one thing was certain: he was still going to destroy this village one day.
His need for vengeance hadn't consumed him because, somewhere in the light, he would return to his home on earth.
Allies, even unlikely ones, might cross him, but he mused that perhaps more broken bridges would form and test whatever bonds of friendship they all thought they could withstand.
Arthur soon crept through the deserted streets. His destination this time was a place far beyond the village walls: the Fire Temple.
The Fire Temple was in the Land of Fire, a renowned ninja monastery overflowing with nature. Led by Chiriku, the temple itself housed ninja monks who trained in the Gift of the Hermit Group.
Arthur sought to harness their special chakra at their grounds.
The grounds themselves were known for their impregnable, sealed iron walls, breached only twice before the Akatsuki's attack that would destroy the temple and kill most of its inhabitants three years from now.
On Arthur's person was a worn-out map in his bag with its exact location.
Just as he turned a corner, a figure materialized from the shadows. Jada, bathed in the soft glow of a nearby lamppost, stood there with a wide grin on her face.
"Arthur!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing out so late?"
Arthur's heart almost pounded. Where had she come from? Or rather, why was she, of all people, awake at this hour? He should have just snuck out in his smoke form.
"Jada," he said, trying not to sound irritated. "What a surprise."
Before he could explain himself, Jada gave him a sudden hug. He stiffened momentarily but found himself reciprocating the embrace so as not to seem odd.
"Arthur!" she announced, pulling back a little. "You're really cold!" It had been weeks since he'd seen her, but her eyes brightened as she said, "Sorry I hadn't come by sooner. Marge and I had been training like crazy for the finals."
"That makes sense, I guess."
"You guess? Haha." Jada's smile faltered slightly. "Everything okay? You seem a little tense."
Since when did she become proficient at reading people?
He forced a smile. "Everything's fine. Just getting prepped for the tournament myself."
She looked a tad doubtful, but she didn't press the issue. "Well, you'd better get some rest then." Those matches in the finals aren't gonna be like what we remembered."
"Probably…"
Jada's gaze seemed to linger on him for a beat longer. But then, her smile returned. "How about we hang out sometime before the finals? Maybe grab some ramen at Ichiraku's? You know you're like the only one who hasn't tried it with me yet."
Arthur found himself considering it. There was a part of him that craved normalcy since it almost felt like a fragile connection to his time on earth.
"Sure," he finally agreed, surprising even himself. In hindsight, it was really just to gauge her advancement. "We could do that."
Jada's smile widened. "Great! Then let's make it a plan. See you around, okay?"
With a final wave, she disappeared back into the night, leaving him standing alone.
Now, whether this be true or not, he believed that his plan to leave for the Fire Temple had been thrown into disarray. He simply couldn't risk going since Jada had seen him here.
So he decided to stroll home instead.
✟
The next day.
Arthur found himself gazing out at the marketplace alongside Jada. She bounced from stall to stall as her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Later, she stopped at a stall that was overflowing with hand-painted masks. When she picked up a dog mask and held it playfully against her face, she said, "Look, Arthur! Doesn't this remind you of Kakashi-sensei?"
Arthur faked a chuckle. "Haha. It kinda does if you cover the bottom half."
As the laughter settled, she placed the mask back on the stall.
"Hey, Arthur," she began, her voice softening. "I wanted to thank you."
"Thank me for what exactly?"
"For helping me awaken the Sharingan… I know it wouldn't have happened without you. You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself."
Although that scene of her awakening didn't happen like he might have remembered, he still considered her kindness.
So he forced a smile. "It was nothing, Jada. You always had the potential within you anyways. It's in your chara—"
"I also wanted to tell you..." she cut him off, feeling a tad sad. "How much I love you guys. Marge, Alex, Lee, Naruto, Sakura… even Kakashi-sensei."
Arthur felt unsettled and out of place. He simply couldn't let himself get sucked into it.
So in a careful tone, he said, "Jada, remember that we're just playing a game, right?"
The playfulness in Jada's expression faded slightly as she bit her lip and frowned. "Oh, right... My real body's still back in the pod at Elysium."
"Yeah," Arthur said in a gentle tone. "It can be easy to get lost in everything, but we can't forget who we are."
Jada's gaze fell to the ground as she whispered, "I know. It's just... everything's for real. The people, the places... it's like I could stay here forever."
Did he just hear her say that?
While he understood her yearning—the desire for a life filled with camaraderie—to escape whatever troubles the real world kept dealing with. But the truth was a harsh reality they couldn't escape.
Arthur could never believe in this world. He was, and always would be, a faithful follower of Jesus Christ—the only anchor he had to fight through everything.
So he reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll eventually reach the end. But for now, we need to stay grounded, okay?"
Jada shot him a quick, grateful smile before regaining her usual cheerfulness. "Thanks, Arthur…"
As they continued through the marketplace, they shared sweet laughter that echoed through the streets. Arthur knew the weight of the situation, but for now, they could exist in this moment of normalcy.
✟
Moments later.
Silence blanketed Arthur's hotel as he closed the door behind him.
Jada had offered to train, but he'd declined, knowing his time would be spent better elsewhere. Besides, he learned enough of what he needed to know what to do next.
In his room, he removed his shirt to reveal his near-zero body fat and muscular physique. While impressive, yes, it was his chakra that truly mattered.
After rummaging through his belongings, he carefully placed the contents on the floor. They were a meager collection of assorted tools: a handful of kunai, a pouch of shuriken, wrapped-up metallic wires, a small roll of thin needles, and an array of medical tools for emergencies.
Despite never having the luxury of living comfortably like some of the others, he had managed his money to have been able to afford all of these items. All while paying his bills on time.
Arthur soon unearthed a small pouch hidden in the closet. It held a small sum of ten ryō. It was all he had after making purchases to fill his bag.
"Hmph…" he scoffed as he began organizing his equipment.
All the kunai were sharpened, all the shuriken were checked, and all the needles were inspected. Each action had a quiet purpose that allowed him to stay prepared should anything unexpected happen tomorrow.
As the night wore on, the room remained utterly quiet.
Arthur had finished checking the last of his tools. He moved on to the rest of his supplies: blank scrolls and an empty weapon pouch.
Why he was going through this trouble was because anything was bound to happen.
Those from earth kept stating that Orochimaru wouldn't attack, and Arthur was starting to believe it.
Ever since their last encounter at the Forest of Death, Orochimaru had only made that brief appearance with Alex. The Sand shinobi were no longer present, having withdrawn, and not even Kabuto was intermingling in the village like before.
Nothing seemed to be going in Arthur's direction.
So what was a true Christian to do in times like these? Pray.
Arthur therefore went into his closet, like the bible taught, and he prayed.
When he came out, he understood that anything could happen. Whether Orochimaru would or wouldn't attack, Arthur still knew he had to eventually leave the village one day.
So with a final glance at his equipment, he shut off the lights and went to sleep.