As Arthur continued to explain himself and bask in their admiration, two ornately decorated carriages rolled up to the gathering.
When one of the doors opened, the secretary-general of the country hurriedly dismounted to meet Arthur.
"Is it really you, lord Belfort?!"
"Yes, it is I."
"What a sight to behold! Please, let us clear the area." He waved his hands, motioning for the press to step back. "All of you, don't you know that our country's successor must get proper rest after what he's been through?! I mean, just look at his clothes!"
The citizens exchanged mixed expressions. They were thrilled to see Arthur alive and well, but the prospect of moving away was disconcerting.
"It's alright," Arthur said, raising a hand. "Everyone, our secretary-general's here for my safety."
Despite hearing how calm and uplifting his words were, many were still reluctant to leave his side.
It took some moments for the secretary-general to return the order to the scene. Many citizens were rallied home. All while ensuring no one was left feeling neglected.
Arthur could only smile and occasionally fake a chuckle while watching.
"My lord," the secretary-general began, "I truly am happy about your return!"
"Yes, I can see that…"
"The difficulties we've all faced while you were away were overwhelming in themselves."
"Then we must act quickly. Let us discuss things back at the castle, where I'm sure many others are waiting."
"Right away, my lord!"
As the last remnants of the excited citizenry subsided, the two finally made their way to his castle.
Climbing out of the carriage and stepping onto the cobblestone, it came as no surprise that security had tightened tremendously.
There were many shinobi from the Mist Village, many of whom looked to be strong Jōnin.
Immediately, the grand doors opened, and Arthur was engulfed in a hug from Hiromu.
This sudden display of affection was unbecoming of a feudal lord who was to be formal at all times. But still, Arthur allowed it because it was good for publicity; the small crowd that had trailed behind them—council members, subjects, and servants alike—were all bearing witness.
"It's good to see you, too," Arthur began, "and you look well!"
"Me?! Forget about me! I'm absolutely jubilant that you're alive, my wonderful successor!"
"Thank you. Everyone seems to be faring well."
The two finally broke apart and walked inside the castle.
There, Hiromu led Arthur and the other council members inside the meeting chamber.
Once everyone settled in their respective seats, Hiromu began: "For lord Belfort's sake, security across the city has been raised to the utmost level. We've deployed guards at every post, and all access points are monitored."
"Indeed," the secretary-general added. "The Hidden Mist Village also contributed by sending several of their elite shinobi our way."
"Funds were also spent accordingly to ensure everyone's safety within the capital," finished the treasurer.
Arthur remained ultimately unimpressed.
While their tactics for defense maneuvers were plausible, they and the rest of this country didn't yet know who their enemies were: the Akatsuki. And if their leader, Pain, wanted to level this open city, he could do so with just one technique.
"That's all well and good," Arthur carefully replied, "but we can't underestimate the threat posed by my attackers. More measures will have to be in place that extend beyond the capital. This is against the Akatsuki, after all…"
Hiromu stammered, "The Akatsuki? You mean the organization that—"
"—attacked me earlier," Arthur interjected. "Yes, that's the one."
"So the rumours were true!" the secretary-general announced.
"Yes," answered Arthur, "the investigators only got the minor details since that criminal organization has ambitions that go deeper than our conventional notions of security."
How was it that they hadn't understood who attacked Arthur? It was because Itachi had nearly placed everyone he came across in a genjutsu.
Even during the chase, he and Kisame had run too fast for anyone to really identify them.
This only made the group of council members become very uneasy. Some exchanged glances while others remained transfixed by Arthur's commanding presence.
"Then it's settled," the secretary-general declared, rolling his shoulders back. "We shall heighten security measures throughout the entire country's borders."
"Absolutely!" agreed the head advisor. "It is for the dignity of our nation and for the safety of lord Belfort. Perhaps we should also consider—"
"Four guards at all times," Hiromu interjected, highlighting how concerned he was. "We need to have four shinobi watching my successor at all times."
Arthur shook his head. "I can't support that idea." Who could blame him? "It might rattle the citizens' morale if they see me surrounded as if I were an imminent target for assassination. They need to feel secure, not threatened by the enemy."
This brought forth silent deliberation as many whispered their thoughts. Only Hiromu recognized Arthur's adeptness in navigating the complexities of public perception.
"Yet, my lord…" another council member hesitantly piped up. "We can't simply ignore your protection. One guard, perhaps—"
"I'll think about the matter later," Arthur declared.
This was a half-truth; he greatly preferred his moments of solitude. Intrusiveness in his daily routine felt unwarranted, something that could undercut the approachability he desired while dwelling in this country.
Hiromu seized upon the moment to steer the discussion onward and said, "As we prepare for potential threats ahead, I would also like to propose the inauguration of my successor this year."
At the mention of an inauguration, the room became excited. Not a single one of them looked to go against it.
And though short and sudden, the announcement would help raise hope after what's happened.
Arthur didn't voice any immediate objections. An early inauguration would be both good and bad. Bad because of the public implications.
"It's critical that we respond to recent incidents," he stated. "What the Akatsuki did—attacking a political figurehead—can't be overlooked."
"I agree!" the secretary-general yelled, standing. Then he slammed his palms on the table. "They've branded themselves as terrorists, and that needs to be known across the nations."
"This is true," fueled the head diplomat. "They cannot conduct business here or anywhere else without facing consequences."
Arthur considered this.
It was an undeniable truth, and it deepened his situation. While he knew the danger the Akatsuki posed toward others, he also recognized that raising concerns about their methodology had the potential to wake a sleeping giant of conflict.
For instance, if the Water Country and other nations enacted war upon the Akatsuki, that organization might hasten their goals of desiring to capture the Jinchūriki much earlier than expected.
"So," Hiromu ventured, "should we spread the word that the Akatsuki are now classified as a threat to the entire country and alert the other nations?"
Arthur closed his eyes and answered, "Not yet… If we can formalize my status as feudal lord first, this'll encourage the other nations to rally around us. Afterwards, we can compel them to act against our common foes."
A cautious but fervent conversation erupted among the council members.
The head advisor and head diplomat were both aware that such an act could compromise much more than the safety of their own citizens; it opened the floodgates to international scrutiny and potential confrontation.
"Reaction among the other villages could go either way," the head diplomat warned.
"Yes," added the head advisor, "and while some may be galvanized to stand against the Akatsuki, others could view your ascension as a pretext for war."
There it was: the word Arthur had been waiting for someone to address: 'war'.
Of course, he desired war; it was the main and only thing that would help liberate this corrupt world.
But it wouldn't be like the Fourth Shinobi World War, which lasted seventy-two hours; it would be one that stretched for months—even years.
That in mind, Arthur leaned back in his chair and said, "If we do nothing, it could create a void that lets the Akatsuki gain power while we remain idle."
Only Hiromu and the secretary-general were not nervous, for both of them had experienced the Third Shinobi War. To them, it was no more than reopening the doors to help redeem their nation.
And regardless of what anyone thought, they would all ultimately move in Arthur's direction.
"What about the Hidden Mist Village?" the treasurer inquired. "Should they also remain on high alert?"
"When the time comes," Arthur said, "yes. The last thing we need is others knowing what's discussed here. For now, inform them of the current developments. Their resources will be an invaluable asset once things escalate."
The nods around the table indicated growing consensus.
Then the treasurer chimed in again, keen to pursue more logistical matters.
"If I might suggest," she began, "we also need to ensure the flow of resources continues smoothly. Economic stability could play a crucial role in gaining favour with the other hidden villages."
"Fair point," Arthur agreed. "We can use our trade routes to reinforce alliances then."
The treasurer seemed to like that idea.
As the meeting continued, the council began to fire off questions regarding Arthur's ninja abilities.
Faces filled with inquisitiveness and disbelief at the mention of his prior combat feats, many of whom had no knowledge of his strength until now.
Arthur knew that there would be no ignoring this fact once he returned. He was sure that even the press wanted to make this a huge headline.
"If I may, lord Belfort," the head advisor pressed. "Your display of chakra manipulation during that recent attack… How long have you been practicing ninja arts?"
"Truth be told, I don't consider myself a ninja. I've only recently learned to utilize chakra for situations that demanded it. Thankfully I learned when those two heathens tried taking my life."
"Oh my goodness!" some of the members claimed.
"Yes," he added. "Me running away was purely instinctual."
Though he omitted certain truths, they accepted his words because his reply was both sincere and believable.
Even if they didn't, there were two members here that superseded the rest in rankings. And those two would follow Arthur to the end of the world.
But that didn't mean he could just get away with this act. Because in this country, anyone shown to be capable of manipulating chakra had to be registered.
The head advisor placed his fingers thoughtfully on the table and said, "While we're all happy for your successful escape and return, our nation operates under laws that require any practitioner of chakra techniques to report their abilities to the nearest agency."
"How could I forget?" Hiromu sighed.
"Why must he do such a thing?" asked the secretary-general as if they had accused Arthur of treason."
"Because," Arthur answered, "it could present complications if any agencies investigate my sudden emergence of skills."
"T-that's correct," said the head advisor.
Arthur continued to maintain his nonchalance. "Regulations aside, I have no aims of using my abilities maliciously, for my role is solely dedicated to the betterment of this nation." This earned him claps. "Notwithstanding, I'll leave it to this council to determine how you'd like to handle the legalities."
The saying earned him favour from everyone in the room.
Such a thing was plausible since he had only recently returned from a trying ordeal.
As for why the Akatsuki was even after him in the first place, everyone thought the same thing: he was a soon-to-be lord of a country.
Like the President of America, or the President Pro Tempore of the Union of South American Nations, or the Maharaja of India, or the Prime Minister of Japan, no one needed to ask why anyone wanted to attempt an assassination on John.