Drunken Stupor

By no means was Arthur going to use the mask right now. There was too much for him to accomplish first.

Him securing the mask now ensured that the other players wouldn't try to use it for themselves or prevent him from taking it. They all knew Naruto, which meant they knew what Arthur could exploit.

Before fully departing the area, he walked to the base of a tree that was slightly far off. There, he placed a flying raijin mark.

Arthur then vanished in a flash, materializing in the familiar architecture of the Leaf Village. He stood within the shadows of a quiet forest—the forest he used to practice the flying raijin technique in.

The village was a far cry from the bustling city he once knew.

Rubble from destroyed buildings lay scattered like giant's teeth, and construction lights could be seen from his location over the devastation.

He had chosen this desolate area purposefully in case his Chakra Disguise technique failed to fool the others. Additionally, the late hour provided another layer of safety; most villagers were tucked into their beds, unaware of the menace returning to their broken home.

With a silent scan of his surroundings, Arthur plunged into the night and weaved through the debris-laden streets.

His next destination? The Leaf Village Cemetery. He had a morbid task to complete, but it was a necessary one.

When he arrived, the cemetery was absolutely still. Not even an owl was present to hoot on the rows of headstones.

As he approached the section reserved for the Hokages, something was off: Hiruzen Sarutobi's grave was nowhere to be found!

Now Arthur was certain the Orochimaru failed to kill Hiruzen during the invasion. Arthur dismissed any what-ifs for now. He had a mission to complete, and dwelling on uncertainties wouldn't help.

Setting his thoughts aside, he approached the grave of Minato Namikaze, the fourth Hokage.

He kneeled before the simple, yet dignified stone marker. Before starting anything, he activated his Tamashii to perform an illusion.

A dome of chakra enveloped the grave site, effectively masking him and his actions from any prying eyes.

With the illusion in place, he began digging. The earth was soft and yielded easily under the force of his chakra-enhanced hands. He worked quickly and efficiently, driven by the knowledge that any delay could prove fatal.

Finally, he unearthed the wooden coffin.

Arthur carefully pried open the lid. The interior was filled with the stench of death, enough to make someone pass out. But not Arthur.

He stared at the corpse of the legendary ninja, Minato Namikaze, the father of the main character.

Minato was regarded as a legendary ninja for a reason. Widely known as the Yellow Flash of the Leaf for his incredible speed, he was a prodigy who rose through the ninja ranks quickly.

His journey began with a desire to gain recognition from his village and eventually become its leader. His exceptional talent led him to become the apprentice of Jiraiya, who at the time was one of the village's most powerful ninjas.

Jiraiya believed Minato might fulfill a prophecy of a chosen one destined to save the world. Little did Jiraiya know that it was Minato's unborn son who would fulfill that pre-written tale.

While growing up, Minato fell in love with Kushina Uzumaki. They faced challenges together, including Minato single-handedly rescuing her from kidnappers, a feat that cemented his reputation and brought them closer together.

They eventually married as the story progressed.

During the Third Shinobi World War, Minato displayed his brilliance on the battlefield. He even created the Rasengan, further showcasing his leadership skills as he became a Jōnin leader.

His efforts during the war ultimately led him to become the Fourth Hokage.

However, tragedy struck during the Nine-Tailed Fox's attack on the village. Obito, disguised as a masked man, had unleashed the Tailed Beast on the unsuspecting village.

Determined to protect his home and his newborn son, Minato sacrificed himself using the Reaper Death Seal to trap half of the Nine-Tails' chakra into Naruto.

With his dying breath, he entrusted the village with the secret of Naruto's burden and pleaded for him to be seen as a hero, not a monster.

But what happened to the other half of the Nine-Tails? It was sealed inside Minato; both of their souls were trapped.

That was Arthur's next goal—to release Minato's soul and take the other half of the Nine Tails' chakra using the Reanimation technique!

Arthur reached inside the coffin. This wasn't a morbid act of desecration; it was a desperate measure to acquire the necessary materials.

He carefully collected strands of Minato's hair, pieces of fingernails, and any huge chunks of DNA that would be useful, sealing them away in a scroll.

These cells were crucial for the Reanimation technique, and he knew that he needed enough of them for it to work.

With his work finished, he closed the coffin and refilled the grave, ensuring the illusion remained in place until the disturbed earth settled back into a natural state.

Then, with a single activation of the flying raijin, he vanished once more, leaving behind the quiet cemetery and the secrets buried beneath the soil.

Arthur reappeared near the confines of the Uzumaki's abandoned hall.

He was exhausted; there was still much work to be done. He had the materials he needed. All that was left was to find a couple of guinea pigs to test the technique.

Days passed as he traversed the plains and navigated dense forests.

He rationed on hunting game, skinning, and cooking their meat himself without being hindered.

Unlike the Leaf Village, with its sophisticated network of communication, there were towns that existed in a state of ignorance. The town that Arthur ventured to was called Mizunoyo Town.

There were no ninjas patrolling the streets, and there were no towering walls to ward off intruders. This made his task easier.

He was used to operating in heavily secured environments, so this was child's play.

As night fell, Arthur emerged from the tree line, looking at the town. It was a humble collection of houses clustered around a single, lamp-lit tavern. Quite idyllic compared to larger villages.

He needed a target, preferably a household with only one occupant. Capturing families or larger groups was not an option. If word spreads that a well-known individual went missing in the Fire Country, it could reach the player's ears.

With carefulness, he surveyed the houses, searching for signs of single occupancy. Smoke rising from chimneys, single light fixtures illuminating windows—these were the details he sought.

Suddenly, he spotted a figure stumbling out of the tavern with a woman clinging to his arm. The man was clearly inebriated, swaying precariously as they walked down the road.

"Come on, baby," he said to the woman. "I'll show you where I keep my toys."

"Haha!" the woman laughed. "Oh mister, you're making me blush."

Arthur followed them at a safe distance. The woman, seemingly used to the drunken man's behaviour, helped steer him towards a small, single-story house on the outskirts of the town.

He fumbled with the door, finally pushing it open and heading inside with the woman.

Arthur paused outside, confirming his suspicions. No other figures emerged from the house; no voices could be heard within. This was his target.

He waited for a few more minutes, allowing the woman to settle the drunken man before acting.

Moving with stealth, he slipped to the back of the house. There were no windows, just a single wooden door. In seconds, a section of the door was carved away with a kunai, creating a silent entry point.

He squeezed through the opening, leaving the carved section dangling precariously from a sliver of wood. Inside, the house was dimly lit by a single oil lamp.

It wreaked of stale beer and unwashed clothes.

The drunken man lay sprawled on a makeshift bed in the corner, snoring softly. The woman herself was looking through the man's drawers, as if trying to steal from him in his drunken state.

Arthur wasted no time. With a swift movement, he clamped a hand over the woman's mouth, effectively silencing any potential screams.

The woman's eyes snapped open in terror. But before she could react, he delivered a precise blow to the pressure point on her neck. Her body then went limp, collapsing on the floor.

Arthur released his grip, staring at the man in bed. He was still sleeping.

Arthur's attention returned to the woman. He was right to assume she was trying to rob him, for in her hand was the man's wallet.

She had likely done this before with other men. Perhaps she even targets this man regularly. An evil soul.

Now to secure the man. Arthur retrieved a length of wire from his pouch and began binding the man's hands and feet. The man himself remained oblivious, his snores punctuated by an occasional gurgle.

A quick glance around the room confirmed there were no obvious signs of struggle. The woman, lying limp on the floor, looked more like a drunken reveler than a victim.

With the deed done, he collected both their bodies and brought them outside. He then took a moment to close the carved section of the door, restoring the illusion of an undisturbed home.

Navigating with the weight of two unconscious bodies wasn't a burden. Arthur was strong, enough to carry several times their weight.

The woods around him were quiet. Moonlight filtered through the canopy.

He gently lowered the unconscious man onto the earth, the woman's still form lying a few feet away.

The Reanimation technique required a sacrifice, and Arthur would never hesitate. Kunai in hand, he swiftly struck her heart, instantly killing her.

The woman's demise was both quick and painless. She hadn't even let out a single choked gasp.

Arthur continued, retrieving an empty scroll. This was the summoning scroll, whose purpose was to accommodate the summoning portion of the technique.

Unfurling it, he traced the sigil from his memory with the utmost care. Every line and every curve were essential for this technique's success.

With the same kunai, he carefully extracted a piece of flesh from the woman's arm. He then smeared the cells onto the designated circle within the scroll.

Everything was in place. Now came the most crucial part—executing with hand signs.

One by one, he formed the hand signs, his chakra threatening to deplete because of the cost. Black, swirling energy erupted from the scroll, spreading across the ground like a tide.

It reached the man's body, enveloping him in a dark web. Arthur could feel the technique kicking in.

The man on the ground groaned, awakening with a jolt. His drunken stupor was replaced by a wave of terror as he could feel the invisible energy coiling around him.

He screamed, his voice echoing through the silent woods. Arthur narrowed his eyes. He had made a mistake by not gagging this man's mouth.

Despite being in an isolated area, this man's screams could cause a commotion. Arthur didn't want to take the chance of attracting unwanted attention. It could very well jeopardize everything.

He used his remaining reserves to disrupt the technique. The swirling black webs unraveled until they were completely gone. The man on the ground, released from the technique's hold, collapsed back into unconsciousness.

Arthur needed to find a new location to ensure the ritual wouldn't go on uninterrupted.