The forest was long. Sunlight cut through the foliage, giving the two a clear view of the greenery.
Koko swung from branch to branch with surprising agility as Arthur walked. She let out delighted squeals when she managed to snag a particularly fat beetle or chase a flitting butterfly. Arthur himself kept his senses sharp as he fixed his gaze on the trail ahead.
Escaping the village was just the first step. Now, he had to get to the Fire Temple and access their special chakra to complete the technique he learned from Asuma. It was the best place to venture to and lay low while still in the country.
If he remembered correctly, he would be dubbed a rogue ninja, and his information would be added to a list with other wanted ninjas.
Arthur would personally ensure not to let his face be seen in public. And what better way to hide his identity than with the Transformation technique?
This universe had a plethora of characters for him to change his physical appearance to. Whether they were dead or not, he could always alter the minute details to ensure no one recognized him.
As he considered who he would turn into, suddenly, Koko stopped mid-swing. Her tiny face then crumpled in a frown as she scrambled back down to Arthur's shoulder.
"Daddy," she whimpered in a strained voice.
"What is it…?"
"My body," she mumbled, clutching her belly. "Feels funny. Like someone's pulling on me."
Arthur immediately understood. Her sensation—the sudden discomfort—was a telltale sign of a forced summoning. Hiruzen must be trying to call upon Koko's aid.
"It's because of him," Arthur said, looking elsewhere. "The third Hokage, Hiruzen."
"Who's that?"
"Someone who should be dead by now..."
It was reasonable to believe that the others had managed to interfere and keep Hiruzen alive to this point. Arthur himself wasn't too certain who would win the fight between the third Hokage, aided by otherworldly help, and Orochimaru, who had changed his plans.
"Why is he pulling on me?" Koko asked in confusion.
Arthur spent little time explaining the situation. Instead, he ordered her to ignore the feeling and never be summoned by anyone else.
"Okay, daddy. I'll only answer your call." When the feeling subsided, she hopped on his back and pointed forward. "To the Temple!"
The trail ahead remained clear. Thorny bushes made perfect cover from passersby, and the air here warded off any real predators.
Only once had a pack of wild boars charged out of the undergrowth to meet them. It was an opportunity for Koko to show her skills. But Arthur hadn't wanted to waste time, so he easily scared them off by simply displaying a kunai.
"You show 'em, daddy!"
As night fell, they arrived at a fork in the road.
One route, according to what he remembered, would lead deeper into the forest—toward the country's borders. The other, less traveled, wound upward toward the mountains.
"We're close," he announced, choosing the latter route.
After hours of arduous trekking, the dense forest gave way to rocky terrain.
It wasn't long until they finally reached the base of a mountain; Arthur spotted what he'd been searching for: a stairwell carved directly into the rock face. It was barely visible at night, but it was the same stairwell that two Akatsuki members had climbed to reach the Temple three years from now.
"Koko," he said, bringing her down, "this is a place not everyone can enter."
Her ears drooped as she gave a small frown. "So I can't go with you?"
Arthur placed a hand on her tiny head. "It wouldn't be safe if you were spotted."
"But I want to stay with you," she said as her lower lip quivered. "We just got to play together again!"
"We'll meet again soon…"
Yet she wouldn't let him go so easily. To quell her doubts, he explained the concept of summoning, how he could call on her whenever needed. Then he reminded her of their promise: for her to train hard and hone her skills.
Hearing this made her finally understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Okay, daddy..." she sniffled. "I'll wait for your call. And I'll be ready."
At those words, a puff of smoke appeared, and she was transported back to her home.
Arthur had no problems worrying about her safety. In time, she would grow into the reliable summon that he needed.
He soon turned his gaze back toward the stairwell. The climb would be easy.
As his ascent began, he kept his senses on high alert.
The mountain air was thin and cold that bit at his exposed skin. The only sound was the scrape of his boots against the rough stone and the occasional screech of a bird soaring high above. The stairwell seemed to endlessly go upward, disappearing into the darkness that shrouded the mountain peaks.
But Arthur persevered before finally reaching the temple's gates.
The massive structure was quite imposing. Heavy metal doors, intricately carved with swirling designs, barred his way.
He could always try and break the doors like Kakuzu did. But brute force wasn't Arthur's style, especially not when a far more discreet approach presented itself.
'Smoke jutsu...'
In the blink of an eye, his physical form dissolved into a swirling cloud of smoke. He then billowed upward, slipping past the 'impenetrable' gate. When he was at the peak, he examined the temple grounds.
Inside the walls, there was a serene atmosphere. Bald figures clad in white robes—monks, Arthur presumed—dotted the landscape. Most were fast asleep in their chambers, while a few sat outside with their eyes closed while meditating in a cross-legged position.
It was quite a peaceful scene.
So he wove through the sleeping quarters. Now safely inside, his focus shifted to a building set slightly apart from the others. When he arrived there, he saw no doors or locks. Inside were filled shelves holding countless scrolls.
He skimmed the titles to search for anything related to the Gift of the Hermit Group's chakra. It didn't take long for him to find it: a scroll titled A Hermit's Gift.
The scroll revealed a detailed explanation of this unknown energy. So he readily absorbed the information without leaving his smoke form.
Unlike Sage Chakra, which required the user to harness the natural energy of the world around them, the Gift of the Hermit Group chakra seemed to be a unique property of this temple itself. It resided within the very air and was infused with the mountain's natural energy that accumulated spiritual force of countless monks meditating for centuries.
Harnessing it was deceptively simple. The scroll wrote of a prolonged period of meditation that focused on attuning one's chakra network to the temple's unique energy flow.
This process wasn't dissimilar to gathering natural energy for Sage Mode, but with one crucial difference: this specific chakra could only be found within the confines of the Fire Temple due to its unique spiritual properties.
Meditation took time, something he knew was precious. The Leaf Village would start rebuilding once the invasion ended, so he had to use that time wisely. Meaning, he had no other choice but to stay here.
'Transformation jutsu...'
Gone was his jawline, replaced by the rounded face of a middle-aged monk. His hair, once dark, vanished, leaving behind a smooth, bald head. A short, gray goatee sprouted beneath his chin, completing the disguise.
Emerging from the library, he now looked every bit the part of a devotee.
So he strolled casually toward a koi pond. Here, the tranquil setting would help facilitate the absorption of the Hermit's Gift.
As such, he settled down in a lotus position as his back straightened and his palms rested on his knees. Closing his eyes, he then cleared his mind to focus solely on his breathing. A distinct sensation fell over him once he drew in the mountain air.
It was almost cleansing.
This wasn't entirely unfamiliar territory. Arthur had spent time perfecting Simian Sage Mode. Harnessing the temple's unique chakra felt strangely instinctive.
His breath deepened as it matched the flow of the water in the pond.
Suddenly, the sound of crunching grass lifted him from his focused state. He cracked open one eye to find a figure looming over him: a monk regarding him with a gentle smile. There was no doubt about it. This was the strongest monk in the Fire Temple, Chiriku!
"Greetings, brother," Chiriku said in a warm tone. "I see you've chosen a most peaceful spot for meditation. Would you mind a companion on this quiet evening?"
This unexpected intrusion could be a potential complication, but it could also be a valuable opportunity.
So Arthur faked a smile and adopted a humble demeanour. "The company of a brother is always welcome, brother Chiriku."
"Ah! Forgive me, brother. I haven't yet memorized everyone's name in the Temple."
"You may call me brother Ryugetsu…"
Chiriku soon lowered himself onto the ground beside Arthur. "You'll have to excuse my intrusion then, brother Ryugetsu. I couldn't help but notice your calmness and your deep connection to the Temple's energy. It's a rare sight indeed."
Arthur, playing his role perfectly, offered a knowing nod. "When one seeks peace, they forget about the turbulent world filled with turmoil outside."
"I couldn't agree more," the monk replied, feeling curious.
A quietude soon settled between them as Arthur resumed his meditation. He had also felt a tad curious since it was stated that monks who had perfected the Hermit's Gift also possessed a vast pool of chakra.
Now he had a chance to observe it firsthand.
Activating his Crimson Gaze, he sensed Chiriku's chakra. The sheer volume inside the monk was surprisingly high, dwarfing even the other players' reserves!
There was also calmness to it—a sign of perfect control. It was quite different from the volatile chakras Arthur usually encountered. No, Chiriku was like a powerhouse.
To think this monk would fall to the hands of Akatsuki three years from now. And if that organization could take this monk down, it only highlighted who Arthur would be up against one day.
Arthur soon pushed the thought aside as he focused on meditating.
Often times, when he did these spiritual activities, he would think of Jesus. And that's just what he did.
✟
A couple hours later.
As the moon rose further in the sky, he rose to his feet and offered a respectful bow toward the monk beside him. "Brother Chiriku, your presence has been a delightful one this evening. I thank you for your company."
Chiriku opened his eyes and offered a gentle smile. "Brother Ryugetsu, please sleep well."
With a final nod, Arthur turned away.
It came as no surprise that he had managed to blend perfectly as a monk. This area had no need for things like official registration or headcounts. They were a peaceful group, monotonously carrying out subtle tasks during the day and praying at night.
Now it was time to find a place to dwell. So Arthur calmly made his way toward the sleeping quarters.
When he arrived, the open space housed rows upon rows of simple mats. Unlike the more structured villages, here there were no assigned beds and no rooms separating the monks. Everything was communal, further simplifying their commitment to shared living.
He scanned the room, noticing that most of the monks were still fast asleep. So he chose a secluded corner and unfurled a spare mat he found tucked away in a nearby alcove.
Lying down, he closed his eyes. The exhaustion of the day—escaping the Leaf Village—finally caught up to him as he fell asleep.