Path Of War-Chapter 354: Next Phase

Elsewhere, branches above cast dappled shadows on the ground in the quiet expanse of a distant forest.

Two figures faced each other across a narrow clearing. One was cloaked entirely in white and his eyes were obscured by a black blindfold, leaving only the faint contours of his unreadable features.

That was Arthur, a man known for his faith, who was currently transformed as Hoshikaze.

Opposite him stood another tall and confident figure with blond hair and piercing eyes: Lars Alexandersson.

The two had been speaking for some time and their discussion centered on recruitment.

Just moments ago, Arthur's ninjas had been scouting the world, attempting to locate Lars's whereabouts. Yet, unexpectedly, Lars had arrived here in the Land of Birds himself, walking into Arthur's territory unannounced.

The encounter was no accident. So rather than send a scouting party after him, Arthur opted to go himself.

Lars's voice was devoid of any emotion, yet laced with curiosity as he asked, "So you'd like me to join your village?"

"Indeed," Arthur replied. "It has all the essentials—resources, defenses, and more importantly, a purpose."

"And what's the name of this village?"

"The Hidden Light Village," Arthur smoothly answered.

The name felt like a pulse in Lars's chest. Light and darkness, hope and concealment—these concepts intertwined, forming a name that seemed to embody what he believed in. Still, Lars was a loner; loyalty to one organization was a concern. He didn't want to be bound too tightly, not without options.

"Worry not," Arthur said, reassuringly. "The village isn't meant to trap, but to serve as a foundation. So you'll have free rein to come and go as you please. "

How could Lars not find this amusing; he appreciated Arthur's understanding.

They both knew each other well enough that words were often unnecessary. And having fought in the past, Lars had developed a mutual respect for Arthur. Those moments at the tournament were still etched into Lars' consciousness, fueling the desire for another confrontation.

Now when Lars was approached by Arthur, he was impressed by how much the latter had grown. Arthur's strength had increased, which made Lars wish to battle Arthur again.

That was the true reason behind Lars' interest: he didn't want to join just for alliance's sake; he wanted the chance to test his limits against Arthur once more.

"I'll join," he said, taking a step forward. "Mainly for the hope that we'll have another chance to fight. That's all I ask..."

"So be it..." Arthur's face remained composed, but his hand moved subtly. In a flash, a white cloak materialized in his hands. It was identical to the one he was wearing—simple and elegant. He then extended it toward Lars. "Wear this at all times, for it is a symbol of the lords within the country."

Lars examined the cloak, verifying its quality. The fabric was sturdy, well-made, and familiar. No one man could have constructed such a complex cloak. No, this was a special type of cloak that also used chakra.

"You came prepared," he accepted with satisfaction.

Arthur inclined his head slightly as he said, "Let's just say I usually am..."

Although Lars was successfully recruited, Arthur still lacked enough military power for his country to be a threat. They were strong yes, but adding more versatile ninjas amongst his ranks wouldn't hurt.

The forest around Arthur and Lars two seemed to breathe in unison, as if acknowledging the significance of the moment. They moved quietly, each immersed in thought while contemplating what lay ahead.

Yet, unbeknownst to either of them, hidden in the shadows, a creature observed them from afar. The figure was cloaked in darkness and its form was ambiguous, but the intent was clear: an observer, watching, listening.

It was Zetsu.

This creature had been spying on the pair and collecting data on their whole conversation.

"We're sure that's Hoshikaze?" White Zetsu wondered.

"There's no telling with Arthur," Black Zetsu replied with a measured tone. "That guy rubs off on me the wrong way."

"What about all those Uchiha we saw? I thought Itachi killed them all."

"That's not our only problem..."

A pause. Then White Zetsu spoke again. "Time to tell Pain, then."

The creature withdrew into the shadows, leaving only the rustling leaves behind, unnoticed by the two figures walking away.

Zetsu moved swiftly through the forest and managed to flee the borders without trouble. Its mission was clear: report on Arthur's recent activities, his current territorial expansion, and any signs of the Hidden Light Village.

It had taken time—more than he initially expected—to gather enough information, but now the creature had valuable intel to deliver.

Once he made it to the Hidden Rain Village, it approached the hidden entrance to the Akatsuki's hideout. Inside, Nagato, as Pain, sat in the center of a room, surrounded by Obito and Konan. The room itself was dim, lit only by a few scattered lanterns.

"Zetsu..." Obito said. "You've returned."

"Yes," White Zetsu spoke. "The land we gave him has sure changed in such a short time."

"Arthur is expanding faster than we expected," Black Zetsu added. "What we saw seemed impossible for an ordinary shinobi to accomplish on his own. Even I'm impressed."

Obito folded his arms to think this matter over. When he was finished, he said, "Arthur Bennett is by no means ordinary. That much is clear. He's done things that even Orochimaru would struggle with, and his capabilities are growing."

Konan listened carefully. She had been silent until now, but she had understood this situation far better than any of them. After all, she had been the one to call Arthur out on almost everything.

Now because of Arthur's recent endeavours, it made her question things. And although her experience with him had been limited, what she knew was enough to unsettle her.

"If what you're telling us is true," she began, "then we should act quickly. What say you, Pain?"

They all paused, contemplating the implications of Arthur's expansion. Since the day he became a rogue, his actions had left the shinobi world in awe. Whether they knew it was him or not.

He was a child, or so he appeared, yet he governed entire regions like a ruler. He had managed to capture a Tailed Beast, a feat many considered impossible for a single shinobi—let alone a child. His alliances also stretched across the strongest of the shinobi nations, including S-rank ninja like himself. He had even built a country from nothing, a nation that was rapidly becoming a force to reckon with.

Most astonishing of all was the confirmed rumours that Arthur had found a way to revive the dead, a secret hardly anyone had uncovered.

The implications of such a technique could reshape the entire world. Yet, despite these accomplishments, one thing remained elusive—the location of his hidden village.

"If we knew where his village was," Pain answered, "it would make things much easier."

Then White Zetsu said, "We've been tailing merchants, spies, and anyone who might lead us to his village. But, even with our Mayfly ability, we've yet to find it."

For something to be hidden beyond Zetsu's reach only proved hour troublesome Arthur had become.

Konan's brow furrowed at the news. She considered this silently for a moment before speaking.

"That's troubling," she said. "It suggests he's taken precautions most wouldn't think of. If we can't find it, then it's harder to influence or attack him directly."

Obito looked at her to ask, "What are you thinking?"

"I believe it was a mistake to have allied ourselves with him. We've given this Arthur too much leverage. Now he's becoming too powerful."

"What do you propose we do?" Pain asked her.

"We need more control over him," she answered. "Not just over his hidden village, but over the entire territory that we gave him."

"That would make sense," White Zetsu obliged.

"If we can't find his base," Black Zetsu added, "then we should at least understand his entire domain to see our options."

Obito considered their words before asking, "And how do you propose we do that?"

Konan's eyes flicked to the side, thinking. Then an idea popped in her head.

"Kaito... He's been working closely with us. If anyone can get close enough to Arthur, it's likely him."

"Was it not Arthur who recruited him in the first place?" Pain remembered.

"Who's to say that they're not league with each other?" Obito added.

From what Kaito told everyone during his ceremony, he implied that he wasn't really affiliated with any group, much less Arthur. And based on the information Sasori, his partner, had given to the leaders of the Akatsuki, Kaito's shown no signs of rebellion.

"Using Kaito might be risky," Pain continued. "But it may be our only option... For now."

Obito leaned in to say, "Then it's settled. Kaito will be dispatched to approach Arthur. We'll give him that assignment along with Sasori, and they'll work to uncover the secrets we're missing."

"And if Arthur refuses to answer the Akatsuki?" Konan asked, unsure of this plan.

"Then we'll eliminate him at all cost," Pain declared.

The room fell into silence for a moment as the decision settled. Arthur's rise was a threat that could destabilize the world. And out of everyone in the Akatsuki that felt threatened by it, it was Obito.

There was just no way that he believed Arthur had revived both the Uchiha clan and the Uzumaki clan, only to gather them in hidden villages and away from the world's eyes.

Had Zetsu not confirmed that Madara's corpse was still at the hideout, Obito would have gone berserk on Arthur as opposed to trying to reason with him.

The Akatsuki's plans depended on their ability to adapt, to stay ahead of him. And right now, they were still performing missions to help gather the resources needed to revive the Ten-Tails. Arthur himself had become number one on their radar.

Now came another pressing matter: trying to understand his goals.

As far as everyone in the Akatsuki was concerned, Arthur made no moves to inform the world of either clans revivals. Members like Konan found this odd. Why bother reviving a clan but not making use of them in other countries?

As if she didn't already know the answer: Arthur Bennett was building an army. For what purpose, no one knew.

"Should we tell Itachi about this?" she asked the group.

"I think it would be a good idea," Obito believed.

Pain wasn't quite sure if this honestly was. Considering that Itachi and Obito both slew the Uchiha clan, leaving only Sasuke, informing Itachi of their revival might cause him to abandon his post in the Akatsuki.

Yet Obito knew what Pain was thinking. Itachi would not betray the Akatsuki, which was ironic to believe since the Itachi was still—till this day—a double agent.

"What of Sasuke Uchiha?" Pain wondered.

"Last we heard," White Zetsu answered, "he was with Orochimaru in the Sound Village."

Their information was lacking, a sentiment to Arthur's carefulness in not letting unnecessary information slip out.

The group believed that perhaps monitoring Sasuke would be a good idea. While it was, their only issue was finding where Orochimaru's village was. Once they discovered that, Orochimaru was a dead man for having betrayed them those many years ago.

"Zetsu," Obito ordered, "we'll leave you in charge of finding information on Orochimaru and Sasuke."

"We'll try our best," Black Zetsu agreed.

As the meeting drew to a close, the members of the Akatsuki began preparations for Kaito's mission. The game against Arthur had now entered a new, more dangerous phase.