The thought of Arthur's past—if he had indeed been a Genin, as Sasuke suspected—seemed almost impossible.
Sasuke wondered more about Arthur's history. Was he born in the Hidden Leaf Village? Did he train there? Or was he something else entirely? The more Sasuke marveled, the more he understood how little he truly knew about the man who was shaping this entire country.
And for the first time, Sasuke felt a deep respect forming.
Arthur was not just a powerful shinobi; he was a legendary figure in the rise, someone who had defied the norms and broken the limits of what a ninja could be.
As things settled, Sasuke stood upright. He then looked down at his trembling hands. The pain from the room's brutal force had subsided, but the shock of what he'd just endured lingered deeply within him.
A short-lived experience, yet that physical agony showed how far he still had to go.
"I want to see him," he quietly said. "And I need to ask him what his goals really are for reviving the Uchiha."
"You might wanna at least call him 'lord Arthur' if you're gonna ask questions like that," she said with a teasing tone.
Sasuke tried to defend that he never called Orochimaru lord. But Tayuya refuted that childish behaviour by stating that Arthur was not some rogue ninja out to seek immortality.
"Don't forget that lord Arthur's the head of the Land of Birds, unlike that snake who only ran a disorganized village."
Sasuke's expression remained stoic. Behind those eyes of his was clear stubbornness.
Tayuya knew enough about him to understand that Sasuke wasn't the type to blindly follow hierarchy or titles. He was direct, honest, and perhaps a little too proud for his own good.
"You know," she finally said, "lord Arthur's not someone you can just ignore. He's powerful, yes. But he's also dangerous in ways you're still not getting. And he doesn't see allies the same way most of us do."
Sasuke's gaze hardened as he said, "I know. I've seen enough of what he can do."
"That so?" she smirked.
"Him and I've fought him a couple of times," the Uchiha admitted.
"And both times, he defeated you."
That was a hard blow to Sasuke's pride. The first time the two fought was back during the invasion of the Leaf Village. While the Uchiha put up a good fight, Arthur was simply too many steps ahead of the boy.
The second time they fought, Sasuke almost lost his marbles upon knowing that it was Arthur in disguise. Had it not been for Jada's arrival, Team 7 would have fallen for certain.
"If you knew that," he said, "why pretend like you hadn't heard?"
"I just wanted to see what face you'd make," she laughed, causing Sasuke's jaw to tighten. "Someone can't take a joke. Fine… I'll let you in on something since I've had my fun today." She stepped closer to his side and said with a casual tone, "Word in the inner circles is that lord Arthur's not been missing for the last couple of days."
Sasuke quickly turned to her and asked what she meant. So she shrugged, "Keep it between just us, okay? Not even your father knows about it."
"Then why tell me?"
"Aren't you the one that came to me first?" she taunted.
At those words, she vanished, leaving him to ponder in the training chamber.
Arthur? Gone? It was common not to hear from him for at least a few hours, but to be gone more than a day was indeed a troubling thing. After all, he was in charge of this whole country.
Almost anything and everything eventually started from him and then trickled down to the villages he commanded. For the head to be gone was like a chicken running without knowing where it was going.
Sasuke exhaled slowly. He looked down at his hands again, then back at the empty space where she had been. His expression was unreadable, but underneath, he was filled with a storm of emotions.
Respect, curiosity, and a hint of apprehension.
The more he was left in the dark, the more he felt as if he needed to rely on Arthur. And that was not something that made him comfortable.
At least for now, he could continue, knowing the reason why Tayuya had brought him here: to also train like how Arthur had.
Sasuke would do whatever it took to face Arthur and to stand before him and ask the questions that burned inside.
The next morning.
The sun had barely risen when Sasuke arrived at the training arena. He was determined to push himself further today and to grow stronger under Shisui's guidance.
The arena was quiet, save for the distant sounds of birds and the faint rustling of wind through the trees.
He waited a few moments, and soon enough, Shisui arrived. His white cloak fluttered slightly as he moved.
"You're early," he said. "Did something happen?"
As Sasuke stretched, he disregarded the question. Shisui took that as a sign of the boy simply wishing to get to work.
Once their warm-ups ended, a sudden presence interrupted the moment. Another figure in a white cloak appeared at the edge of the arena and walked steadily toward them. As he drew closer, the man reached up and removed his hood, revealing a face that immediately commanded attention—Hoshikaze.
"Is there a problem, my lord?" Shisui asked.
"You're needed in the throne room," Hoshikaze stated.
Sasuke's eyes squinted at the bluntness of the message; he had clearly wanted to train with Shisui today after yesterday's events.
Shisui, who had been about to speak, bowed his head briefly and muttered an apology to Sasuke.
"You'll have to forgive me, Sasuke…"
The boy just snickered because this scene reminded him of when Itachi used to abruptly leave. Then an idea came to him.
"Let me come with?" he asked, trying to hide his eagerness.
Hoshikaze's expression did not change as he simply said, "No…" The tone left no room for arguments. "You're not needed there."
Sasuke's brow furrowed. He knew better than to press further. Anyone who wore a white cloak in this village that he wasn't familiar with was to be respected. That was because those particular members at the top of this hierarchy were official vassals of Arthur himself.
Hoshikaze, Ryugetsu, John, and Kaito. They held authority that often surpassed even the village's own leader, the Torikage. No one dared to challenge them, and Sasuke understood that they were not like Shisui or Tayuya.
Pushing this boundary would be foolish.
He watched silently as Shisui waved him off apologetically and then followed Hoshikaze. The two disappeared from view, leaving Sasuke standing alone in the quiet arena.
For a moment, he debated whether to follow or wait. But deep down, he knew he couldn't just sit around. Whatever was happening in that throne room was important—probably connected to Arthur's plans.
Rather than wait, he decided to prepare for that secret training room.
In the heart of Sun Stream Plaza.
The throne room was grand and imposing as Hoshikaze and Shisui entered before closing the doors behind them.
The room was already lined with cloaked figures, each standing at attention. At the far end, two figures stood with their backs against an empty throne—both cloaked in pristine white. Their presence was impressive since the other cloaked figures lined up on either side, forming a wide arc that framed the scene.
Hoshikaze moved to stand beside the two figures at the front, while Shisui took his place among the others.
Meetings like these were becoming a common thing. Yet today felt a little different because the throne was empty.
The silence stretched until finally, one of the lined-up members broke it.
"I wonder what these theatrics are for," Ashina announced.
"Haven't you heard?" asked a male voice with a confident tone. It was Kidōmaru, one of the former Sound Ninja Five, now a trusted member of Arthur's inner circle. "This is regarding something important."
"Best not to talk about it yet," a woman beside him said.
Shisui recognized her immediately; she was the head scientist of this country, the woman who had been involved in many of Arthur's experimental projects. Her name was Brie, and she was the second member that didn't have a cloak on.
The first, someone who rarely made an appearance in these meetings, was Toki, the acting feudal lord of this country.
Last everyone heard, she understood that she was truly the face. The more the other nations saw her, the easier it was for Arthur to remain anonymous.
Toki had indeed handled her duties by managing her own territory while also staying in touch with neighbouring nations. Yet at the end of the day, it was Arthur who oversaw these things. All she did was meet with envoys and leaders from other lands to negotiate potential alliances, trade deals, and peace agreements to keep Arthur's realm safe and prosperous.
Even though she worked independently, she knew her authority ultimately came from Arthur. Whenever he gave her instructions or guidance, she made sure to pass those along to her officials and adjust her plans accordingly.
That was how he had balanced her responsibilities without compromising his identity.
Most still believed that the feudal lord in charge held the real authority, and many had never even heard of Arthur by name.
"I'm getting bored," came a deep rumble. It was Jirōbō. " "Can't we get this meeting started already?"
"Quiet, you fool," Sakon sharply retorted. "We're missing one more person."
"Is it lord Kaito?" a girl's voice asked.
Although her hood covered her face, Shisui knew it was Rin. She had been moving quietly in this country, rarely seen, and always guarded heavily due to her past with their enemy, Obito Uchiha.
"I don't think so," Tayuya answered.
"Not that monkey girl, right?" Kidōmaru asked, referring to Koko.
It was highly unlikely that Koko would attend these meetings. But at his question, the doors suddenly swung open, revealing a figure in a purple Kage hat—Fugaku.
His expression was composed, and his posture was regal. He bowed slightly and said, "Excuse me for the lateness, my lords."
"Apology accepted," Ryugetsu replied from the front.
Fugaku stepped inside and took his place in line with the others, completing the assembly. The chamber was now filled with silence as everyone waited for the meeting to begin.
The three cloaked figures at the front remained silent for a moment longer to ensure everyone was being mentally ready.
Then, John finally began, "We've gathered you all here today to address an important matter."
"Which involves the disappearance of lord Arthur," Hoshikaze announced.
Ryugetsu finished, "who's vanished with an unexplainable absence…"
The room immediately erupted into whispers at the confirmed rumour. Murmurs bounced from one side of the chamber to the other, with some expressions ranging from suspicion to outright alarm.
Sakon broke the talking with a blunt question. "What happened to him?"
"If they knew," Ashina answered, "this meeting wouldn't be necessary."
That irritated Sakon until John answered with Hoshikaze finishing.
"We're investigating."
"That's all we can say for now."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "So what does that mean for the country?"
The answer was not immediately clear, and it was evident that uncertainty was taking hold among the leaders. The country, though seemingly stable on the surface, was vulnerable without its hidden figure at the helm.
Hoshikaze spoke again, "Be not alarmed."
"And remain patient." Ryugetsu added
"Till we can give a proper answer," finished John.
The whispers grew softer, but the unease persisted. If Arthur was indeed missing, and these three lords couldn't pinpoint his whereabouts, then who could?
The question left a lingering doubt in everyone's mind.