There was no doubt that Tsunade was going to make an appearance eventually. She was written to have been a central figure in the Naruto universe, renowned for her medical expertise and composite personality.
As the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, she carried a legacy of leadership. Her life was marked by tragedy, losing both her brother and lover, Dan, which led to her developing a fear of blood and a disillusionment with the world.
Despite her personal struggles, she was still a skilled and compassionate ninja. Her medical prowess, till this day, remained unmatched.
Regarding her appearance, it was striking: long blonde hair and fair skin. But this is a front, as she often uses her Transformation technique to appear younger. Her face was actually very wrinkled, and her skin had lost a lot of colour.
Yet her reputation as a kunoichi still remained legendary, and her strength was more than apparent.
Arthur knew a great deal about her since he fancied medical ninjutsu. And if Jiraiya was searching for that Sannin, then it meant that he was currently in the "Search for Tsunade" arc.
This particular arc had set the stage for a lot of events by expanding more on key characters.
During it, Orochimaru sought Tsunade to heal his sealed arms. Oddly enough, thanks to William, the snake would likely do the same thing again.
The storyline itself culminated in a dramatic confrontation between Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya, revealing the depth of their past and the stakes involved. Naruto, who by default participated in this arc because he's the main character, played his role by highlighting his growth and potential for becoming a Hokage.
The arc itself concluded with Tsunade accepting the role of the fifth Hokage, marking a new chapter for the Leaf Village.
Why William and Alex didn't bring along Naruto hardly made any sense. William, with his strength and desire to be a part of this world, found favour in Jiraiya's eyes. But for Alex to join those two, Arthur was suspicious.
Yes, Alex, with his intelligence, would provide crucial support, yet that didn't explain why he would wish to find Tsunade.
Was he simply looking for adventure, or was there something more to it? Perhaps he was seeking a way to prove himself and earn the respect of his peers. Or maybe he was driven by a desire to hunt down Arthur to make a difference in the world.
Whatever his reasons, Alex's presence on the mission added an extra layer of complexity to the situation. Arthur knew that he would have to be more cautious to anticipate every possible scenario.
As for Jasper and Alice, they were still on a mission outside the village. Yet the reports didn't detail that they would be venturing to the Water Country. It states Earth Country. So why were they in Arthur's domain?
Jasper, after his promotion, was clearly seeking opportunities to expand his influence. Alice, on the other hand, didn't have any reasons for joining him except for being lovers.
The only other thing the reports stated was Jasper's reasoning for wishing to depart the village: to act as a "spy" on terrorist allegations. The elders permitted his mission, going as far as to allow Alice to accompany him.
At least some things started piecing together. Since most of the other players didn't like the idea of Arthur roaming freely in the ninja world, they were taking matters into their own hands.
But why hadn't there been any more news on Jada doing anything?
As far as Arthur knew, she had been performing small missions within the village, like helping farmers and collecting trash—the basics.
Unable to find an answer, he focused on any details he might have overlooked.
Apart from Alice, all the females were still within the village. Margaret was receiving advanced training on her medical abilities and helping the village's medical corps. There didn't seem to be anything unusual going on with her.
Suddenly, a report caught Arthur's interest, one that explained what Team 7 was doing.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had embarked on a mission to the Land of Tea. No Kakashi. This mission was peculiar, occurring far earlier than it should have in the original timeline.
Known as the "Land of Tea Escort Mission," it was a typical filler arc—a brief respite before the more significant challenges. But its premature appearance in this timeline suggested a deviation from the established narrative.
Arthur pondered the implications of this anomaly.
Why would the others allow Team 7, a team filled with the main characters, to go venturing alone outside of the Leaf Village? Were they too distracted to see the real repercussions?
Regardless of the reason, he knew he had to take advantage. Team 7, despite their skills, would be vulnerable.
Arthur, therefore, set a new goal in mind: to follow them. It was a risky move, but he couldn't afford to ignore the benefits of interacting with the main characters again.
And he wasn't going to just talk to them; he was going to kill them!
Why wouldn't he try this early in the game? Because of them, the other players always knew what would happen next. But what if the main characters were killed off early? That would cause the entire world to spiral into the unknown.
The players would have to truly guess what was going to happen next. And without foreknowledge of the story, Arthur could keep working with the element of surprise.
'Flying raijin…'
✟
After making preparations in the Water Country, Arthur stood at the bridge bordering the Land of Tea. The actual journey was uneventful, about a day's trek from the Uzumaki Temple.
This country was smaller compared to any of the others he'd venture to. It was seemingly peaceful, located near the Land of Fire, and was known for its tea production. It was also a popular tourist destination with a unique culture centered around tea ceremonies and traditions.
Being that it was only mentioned in a filler arc, the arc itself followed Team 7 as they were assigned to protect a character named "Idate Morino," Ibiki Morino's younger brother, during a crucial race.
Idate was written to have been a spoiled young man. Despite initial animosity between Naruto and him, they eventually formed a bond and overcame their obstacles together.
The story unfolded with rival teams and a former Leaf shinobi turned rogue, named "Aoi Rokushō," culminating in a dramatic showdown and a victory for Idate and Team 7.
Why this was even a noteworthy filler arc to begin with was because Aoi owned a unique weapon called the "Blade of Thunder."
The Blade of Thunder was another powerful weapon with a history tied to the Land of Tea. Stolen from Aoi in the Leaf Village, it possessed the ability to manipulate lightning like a lightsaber—a weapon from another fandom.
Its electrical properties also allowed for a variety of offensive and defensive tactics, including paralysis, electric suspension, and energy blasts. Its true potential, however, lay in its ability to cut through both physical and chakra-based defenses.
Arthur's gains, if he could manage, would be both the destruction of Team 7 and the Blade of Thunder.
He fixed his gaze on a bridge that spanned a river. Beyond it was undoubtedly where Team 7 was currently stationed.
After a few hours of walking, he eventually made it near the capital. There, he considered what the best course of action would be.
He could attack the team now, taking them by surprise. But that felt less inconspicuous. If he didn't first corner them, one or all of them could escape and call for help.
What he first needed to do was observe them from a distance to make sure this wasn't a lure or trap. He could also study their strengths and weaknesses to see if they'd changed since their last encounter.
That way, when the right moment presented itself, he would make his move.
Arthur soon found a secluded spot overlooking the village. After activating his Sage Mode, he spent the next moment scanning the whole land.
Villagers were going about their daily tasks like normal. Who were more important were the two main families said to be participating in this arc: the Wasabi family and the Wagarashi family.
They were rivals for the race that Idate was to run in. But they had nothing to do with Arthur.
Aoi was also in the capital, drinking alone with a whore at a brothel. The shinobi looked weak enough for him to take on alone. Yet there was no need to do that.
Just seeing Aoi here meant that things had yet to fully unfold. If anything, Arthur would just let Team 7 take care of the rogue.
At that thought, Arthur sensed them. Naruto still looked and acted like the boisterous and energetic sort. Even his orange jacket was still being worn. The only difference was the green jumpsuit underneath it.
Arthur had forgotten the boy was quite skilled in taijutsu now. Thanks to William, no doubt.
Sasuke himself was still the brooding loner. He was walking beside Sakura. The only thing different about her was that she still had longer hair from not having been attacked by Team Dosu in the Forest of Death.
What piqued Arthur's interest was what Sakura was holding: a medical bag.
That girl, who underwent training with Tsunade, became a medical ninja and acquired some of that Sannin's skills. Yet Tsunade was not even remotely close to arriving back in the village right now. Meaning Sakura shouldn't be interested in anything medical-wise.
So why did she have that bag?
Arthur watched as the trio disappeared into an inn.
When his Sage Mode receded, he internally scoffed at what he had learned. This new Team 7 acted quite friendly toward one another. Hardly any of them looked like rivals.
Nonetheless, his plan was to use proxy war against them.
Whether Team 7 defeated Aoi like it was written, or Aoi killed Team 7, the real winner would still be Arthur in the end.
'Transformation jutsu…'
Arthur adopted the guise of a middle-aged shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village. With his identity concealed, he then approached the capital and entered the inn where Team 7 was staying.
"Hey there, you three," he said, waving an innocent hand. "Name's Desmond. Mind we talk for a moment?"
Naruto was the first to greet him back. His signature grin was infectious. Sasuke, on the other hand, maintained his stoic demeanour, his eyes scanning Arthur with a hint of suspicion. Sakura offered a warm smile and a more polite greeting.
Arthur introduced himself as a fellow shinobi from their village sent to oversee their mission. He also explained that he had heard about their exploits and felt like ensuring their safety.
The trio exchanged glances and wondered why the Leaf Village would send a supervisor. If anything, it would have made more sense for Kakashi to be sent here since he was still their instructor.
Naruto, always eager for attention, bombarded Arthur with questions, asking, "What's the big idea?! We're more than enough to handle things here!"
Arthur simply explained that he had been tasked with ensuring the smooth operation of the race. "It's a crucial event for the nation's economy and morale. Let's not forget that you're all still Genin."
He was right. Not a single one of them had a counterargument.
As the conversation progressed, Arthur learned that Team 7 had already been informed of possible oppositions like Aoi Rokushō. Then their talk turned to the upcoming race.
Naruto, brimming with confidence, declared his intention to win. Sasuke, as usual, remained indifferent due to the potential threats. Sakura encouraged them both and even offered Arthur assurance that they didn't need a babysitter.
"We really appreciate you coming," she tried, "but you're gonna be bored by the time we finish taking care of things."
"Haha," Arthur laughed. "That just makes my job easier!"