No Rival

Arthur's current combat repertoire has a diverse range of techniques and items.

First, he had all the useful e-rank techniques down: the Substitution jutsu and the Transformation jutsu.

His first Kekkei Genkai, acquired from transferring Yukimi's cells, was smoke style. This gave him two techniques: Smoke jutsu and Body Oxidation jutsu.

The second Kekkei Genkai he obtained was Ranmaru's, which hadn't had a name, so he dubbed it "Tamashii."

By mixing that with his Chakra Disguise jutsu, he could remain virtually undetectable and never be caught off guard.

After having recently acquired his third Kekkei Genkai, ice style, he's honed his skills to perform two of its techniques: A Thousand Needles of Death and Shattering Ice Spears.

For close-quarters combat, he is very well versed in taijutsu, able to use the Seven Heavenly Breaths techniques up to five activations. He also possesses Chakra-Enhanced Strength in the event someone bests him physically.

Arthur also isn't limited to offense; he can heal himself with both the Healing jutsu and the more potent Regenerative Healing jutsu, which is comprised of the Body Activation, Cellular Activation, and Cell Activation jutsus.

His medical knowledge is far above average. If he needs to be precise with his execution, he can use the Chakra Dissection Blade jutsu. And if he's harmed internally, he can help himself with the Poison Extraction jutsu.

Beyond healing, he has two elemental affinities: wind and water. Because water is his first and main affinity, he is able to perform the Water Prison, Surface Slice, and Water Dragon jutsus.

Partner that with his flying raijin, he's able to traverse the plains quite effectively without wasting too much of his chakra. And even if chakra becomes a problem, he knows the Akimichi clan's Calorie Control technique, allowing him to replenish his reserves with food.

What's more is that all these techniques can be enhanced with his Simian Sage Mode transformation.

Arthur's arsenal also extends beyond taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu. He wields five out of the seven unique swords from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist: the Boltswords, the Long Blade, the Blunt Blade, the Explosive Blade, and the classic Executioner's Blade.

He also carries a hefty sum of around one-point nine million ryō. Of which, more than thirty million of his original net worth had been used for purchasing the Sun Stream Plaza.

Adding another layer to his power, he possesses the ability to summon two things: Koko and an undead from the Reanimation technique.

While the Reanimation technique is game-breaking, Arthur still requires more time and practice to use it perfectly. And for now, he only has two characters worth using in combat: Minato and Mangetsu, of whom he can only summon one at a time without external help.

There are other techniques that he is capable of learning but hasn't found the time to practice them.

First is unlocking the Akimichi clan's Butterfly Mode transformation. Then there was the Hardened Water Drill technique he saw Jada perform. Following that was the Raigo: 1,000 Hand Strike technique, which he had yet to train.

At the top of his list that he was first going to work on was the Enhancing Flattery technique.

Finally, Arthur possesses biological samples for creating a fair army of the undead. He possesses Zabuza's cells and Haku's corpse, all of which will be used in their time.

Not including jutsus from his weapons, in total, Arthur knew more than thirty techniques. This was more than incredible for one ninja.

Jiraiya himself was only ever shown to use approximately thirty-six techniques. And he was dubbed one of the top ten strongest characters in the Narutoverse.

Arthur's knowledge of being able to perfectly perform many of his own techniques made him a powerhouse.

So, what was he missing? A lot, to be exact. He might seem strong on paper, but compared to others like Itachi Uchiha, Nagato Uzumaki, or even Jasper (an Ōtsutsuki), Arthur was weak!

The Land of Silence.

As Arthur walked in the quiet plains, he craved a different kind of knowledge to expand his character. He sought to learn how to use weapons like swords and katanas.

Where else would he learn this than in a country once led by samurais?

Of course, there were better places to practice kenjutsu, like the Land of Iron. But that was more than a week's journey from where he currently was.

While the Land of Iron was the best place to learn to practice with a sword, the Land of Silence was still a samurai-led nation, and Gengo was written not to have taken full control of the country another three years.

An opportunity like this wasn't going to be passed up.

The journey was relatively short—a day's trek through hills and verdant valleys. He navigated regularly, having already familiarized himself with the territory.

His destination—a small settlement amidst a few tall trees—was soon in sight. That was where he knew a samurai's base was.

Samurai were elite warriors similar to shinobi, but focused more on tradition and swordsmanship. They wore heavy armour, wielded multiple swords, and channeled chakra to enhance their attacks.

They were highly skilled and respected, though not as widespread as ninjas are in the eastern hemisphere.

These specific samurai, Arthur knew, wouldn't be ninjas.

Their strength lay in swordsmanship, yes, but their skillset was fueled by physical training rather than the manipulation of chakra.

This also meant there were no elaborate sensory-types to alarm anyone about his presence. It was a different kind of challenge, but he relished it.

He easily infiltrated their camp.

By a lamplight, he observed a group of patrolling samurais. Their crisp movements and confident posture showed career confidence.

Arthur positioned himself strategically, and his Tamashii was activated. He needed to make sure there wasn't anything fishy going on.

While most samurais didn't possess chakra-based sensory techniques, their natural senses were still honed to an impressive degree.

Arthur wouldn't reveal his presence until the moment was right.

His vision range allowed him to watch the entire camp. A group of samurais began their nightly training.

Their movements were very precise, with each swing of their katanas whistling through the air. Sparks even flew from their blades as they clashed against hidden posts.

Despite their heavy armour, they moved with surprising agility, and their footwork was clearly not amateurish. One samurai channeled chakra into his katana, extending the blade into a glowing crescent that cleanly sliced a nearby practice dummy.

Arthur observed intently, impressed at such control of chakra for a non-ninja. These were clearly no ordinary warriors; they were men of war, waiting to be used for lethal purposes.

He remembered a time when Sasuke fought against several samurais at once. Had the Uchiha not had his Sharingan to his advantage, he surely would have been mincemeat.

One hour passed.

Arthur's patience finally paid off. A trio of samurai emerged from a tent, their leader a man with a scar across his cheek.

Arthur recognized this character. Tatewaki was here.

Tatewaki was a skilled samurai who journeyed beyond his homeland, the Land of Iron. He became a ronin, a wandering warrior, and eventually a bodyguard for the leader of the "Land of This."

Though hardened by his travels, Tatewaki remained a man of duty and honour. He trained a young lord named Shū in swordsmanship and protected those he served.

Despite his samurai background, Tatewaki valued peace and only resorted to violence when necessary. His loyalty and swordsmanship were so renowned that even after his death, three years from now, by Sasori, he was reanimated to fight in the Fourth Shinobi World War.

The pieces started to fall into place.

Arthur deactivated his Tamashii. He then activated the Transformation technique to turn himself into a young, unassuming traveler.

A few miles later, he finally stepped into the path of the patrolling samurai, immediately drawing their attention. Their hands instinctively hovered near the hilts of their katanas.

"Greetings," he offered in a polite tone. "Forgive me for interrupting your patrol, but I couldn't help wondering something."

"And what business do you have with us, traveler?"

"A question, if you will," Arthur answered. "Why is Tatewaki here, so far from the Land of Iron?"

Tatewaki, under his full-faced helmet, was surprised to hear his name. All three of the samurais were caught off guard.

The tension rose as their hands tightened on their sheathed katanas.

"I am stationed here on official business," Tatewaki finally replied. "But you… How do you, a stranger, know my name?"

Arthur's polite attitude vanished. He had the answer he sought.

Tatewaki's presence here confirmed that his narrative was simply progressing. Thus was the fate of all these filler characters.

With a swift, almost casual movement, Arthur drew a katana. It was a weapon he had "borrowed" from within the samurai base.

Steel sung from unsheathed scabbards as the samurai drew their own blades in response.

Drawing a weapon in front of a samurai, especially without provocation, was a blatant act of aggression. The samurai, defenders of law and order, were now forced to react.

"Stand down, traveler!" one of them demanded. "If this is a misunderstanding, drop the weapon and explain yourself!"

But Arthur's eyes, glowing crimson from activating his Tamashii, held a gaze that brooked no argument.

"No," he countered in a calm voice. "I'd like all of you to come at me with everything you've got. Don't hold back; use everything you can. And more importantly…" With a burst of surprising speed, he launched himself into action, disappearing and reappearing right in between the three. "Don't blink."

With the katana, he spun. The three samurais quickly scattered, each leaping back a calculated distance to avoid the lethal arc of his blade.

The swing caused leaves from the trees to rustle.

"You must have a death wish attacking a samurai!" one bellowed after landing. "That's one mistake you won't live to regret."

Arthur mused. These samurai, skilled as they were, viewed him with a touch of disdain. Three against one—the odds weren't stacked in their favour.

Tatewaki charged first. His katana slashed diagonally towards Arthur's chest. But Arthur raised his weapon, steel meeting steel with a clang that sent sparks flying.

With a strength that belied his lean frame, he pushed Tatewaki back.

"Urgh!" Tatewaki grunted in surprise. He was momentarily off-balance but managed to recover quickly. He then rushed in again, raining down a series of strikes.

But Arthur's footwork was beyond comprehension. He didn't parry or block; he simply evaded. His movements were fluid, almost liquid, his body twisting and turning with grace that no ordinary person would be capable of.

Another samurai, seeing an opening, materialized from the side, aiming a brutal slash at Arthur's torso. Just as it whistled in his ears, Arthur defied gravity. He leapt with a breathtaking display of agility, his body morphing into a perfect one-eighty-degree angle as he soared above the strike!

He hung suspended for a heart-stopping moment. Then, with a controlled flip, he planted his palm on the ground and used the momentum from his fall to propel himself backwards, landing slowly on the balls of his feet a few paces away.

In stunned silence, the three samurais stared at him. Their initial threats and confidence were thus shattered.

In their years of service, neither of them had never encountered an opponent who moved with such unnatural fluidity and seemed to anticipate their attacks before they were even launched.

Of course, they wouldn't be accustomed to something like breakdancing or ballet moves. Arthur, hailing from earth, possessed a keen understanding of the most effective fighting styles—even if he had to alter himself to outclass his enemies.

That's simply who he was: an unmatched predator that had no rival!

His crimson eyes gleamed as he taunted, "Is that all you have?" Not a single samurai said a word. "This isn't a performance, men. This is a lesson. If you fail, you'll become digital waste."

And with those words, he launched himself back into the fray.