Purpose

Zetsu interjected, and the entire group began speaking as if Arthur wasn't there, like he wasn't a threat at all. Talks of sacrificing, imprisonment, sealing, and even shark bait were thrown around.

After their conversation, Konan finally approached Arthur. With a flick of her wrist, a special yellow paper manifested into her hand. Then it coiled and formed a triangular design with symbols on it.

"We'll accept your bargain," she said with a straight face. "On one condition, though: let us mark you with the seal. If you don't hold up your end within one month, it'll stop your heart and kill you on the spot."

Arthur had never heard of such a thing. While yes, there existed seals that activated via a trigger, but to think Konan was equipped with something like this.

"Hmph," he said with confidence. "Fine…"

Without another word, Konan pressed the paper seal firmly against Arthur's shirt. Instantly, chakra radiated from the seal as the patterns seeped through his fabric and touched his skin. The sensation was like a hot flash that intensified for a moment, and then it burned into his chest.

His expression remained steady, though he could feel the heat seeping deeper with an indelible mark forming. Opening his shirt, he saw the symbol of the Akatsuki—a cloud that had been imprinted on his chest.

"It's done," she said, stepping back.

Pain warned Arthur that he had one month to bring Kaito to them. If he fails within that time, or they get an idea that he's betrayed them, Konan can always activate the seal anytime and kill him on the spot.

It was one risky exchange, but Arthur had agreed to it nonetheless. If he didn't, they wouldn't have let him go without another fight.

Some moments later, he was finally allowed to leave. As he walked away, Hidan muttered, "I wish I wasn't him."

"Quiet," demanded Kakuzu.

…

Throughout the next few hours, Arthur moved through the terrain, careful not to attract attention.

Had he done it? Had he actually managed to survive an attack from the most powerful organization in this world?

Not only had he done it, but he also knew that he had multiple options to do so. For one, he could have revealed Obito's identity and exposed Madara's insane plot. Doing that, however, was a last resort, as it risked too much affecting the current timeline.

As far as he was concerned, he had three years to continue building himself. Making any terrible choices could easily reduce that time frame.

Thankfully, he didn't need to resort to that. And the one month he was given was more than enough time for him to act.

The exhaustion from the earlier confrontation still lingered, a reminder of the limits his body placed upon his spirit. Even as he trudged, his situation began to make him sicker.

Although Deidara had died, his loss wouldn't be too disappointing. He was a former citizen of the Stone Village, of which his death stirred a celebratory response from his home village.

The only thing that really mattered wasn't that Deidara was dead, but that Arthur was still alive and vaguely unchallenged.

Yes, he had crafted a fragile alliance, yet would they really uphold their end?

Arthur's victory in the battle against the Akatsuki was a multifaceted result of strategic acumen and faith to survive against overwhelming odds.

But how did he win?

First and foremost, Arthur leveraged the element of surprise with his summoning of the Six-Tails. This act not only momentarily destabilized the Akatsuki but also signaled the presence of a formidable ally, instantly elevating Arthur's status from potential victim to a person of significant influence within the confrontation.

The Akatsuki, notorious for their strength and cunning, posed a considerable threat. Each member was an s-rank ninja. Their organization was not merely about strength; they operated with a level of cohesion that made them exceptionally dangerous.

Pain's control over gravity, Itachi's use of genjutsu, Hidan's immortality, and Kakuzu's affinity for elemental manipulation—all of these were just a basic catalog of skill sets to help their grand scheme of things.

Arthur, knowing this, used it to his advantage. He demonstrated insight by utilizing psychological tactics to buy himself time. Even when his chakra was depleted and his physical condition deteriorated, he painted a façade of confidence and control.

By proposing an alliance that included the transfer of the Six-Tails and a new member in exchange for territory, he tapped into their ambition. He offered them two bargaining chips they could not ignore. And in exchange, he got the short end of the deal.

Between another dangerous ally and a Tailed Beast versus a small country with a simple village, the latter was worth far less. They'd be ridiculous to refuse.

This maneuver showcased his ability to think several steps ahead, turning what could have been a last-ditch effort into a good negotiation that helped in the interaction between him and the Akatsuki members.

Moreover, his understanding of his own limitations played a crucial role in his strategy. He recognized that he was outmatched in terms of direct confrontation against them, leading him to rethink his approach.

Rather than engage them in combat, he chose to leverage the threat of the Tailed Beast and his own cunning to negotiate under duress. By showing that he could still resummon the beast via a chakra pill, he transformed what might have ended as a desperate final stand into an opportunity for potential collaboration.

This momentary peace allowed him to reshape his battle. Ultimately, he won not by simply overpowering his foes but through wise decisions.

Did he mind being sealed? Not even close. This seal, while it might have seemed special, could possibly be reversed. That was the reason for his laboratory—to exercise it against strange setbacks like this one.

The Akatsuki's mistake was giving him enough time to implement a new strategy.

As for his identity being revealed, this was the main concern. They had clearly known he was alive from the start; he just wasn't entirely sure why they were seeking him. Today, he got his answer.

Arthur would never join the Akatsuki. That decision was made ages ago.

As he continued forward, the landscape shifted from thickets to more open terrain. Each step had jostled his fatigue, but as he moved, he felt a subtle warmth beginning to return to his chakra flow.

He stopped momentarily and clapped his hands, causing a sharp sound against the ambient. Instantly, some of his chakra surged forth like a tide, enveloping him in a pulsating aura that made every hair strand on his body stand on end.

Then something happened—unsettling screams punctuated the air. From the fibers of his clothing, tiny spores vibrated aggressively before tearing free and morphing into the familiar form of White Zetsu clones.

Three of them materialized in gelatinous forms without Black Zetsu accompanying them.

"What's with that poisonous chakra of yours?!" one clone screeched in shock.

Staying stoic, Arthur did not entertain the surprise of the clones for long. Instead, he summoned the Blade of Chaos and swung the weapon, slicing downward through the first Zetsu.

The instant he made contact, a violent eruption of flames consumed the clone. It let out a pained screech before combusting into ash, and its existence was extinguished in mere moments.

Without a beat, he then pivoted to the second clone, launching his blade with the same efficiency. The second Zetsu was met with a swift arc of the blade before its body was engulfed in flames as it burst into nothingness.

The third clone, seeing its impending doom, lunged forward, but Arthur was already a step ahead and pinned it to the ground, holding the blade by its neck.

"Tell Pain that I have no desire to be spied on," Arthur warned. "I'll deliver Kaito as promised, so my words alone will be enough for him."

The clone panicked as Arthur allowed it to seep into the ground with the Mayfly technique.

Finishing the brief skirmish, he took a moment to relax. It was right of him not to have summoned this weapon during his earlier confrontation. Doing so would have weighed him down, as the sword required a lot of chakra control to even touch.

Nonetheless, he had suspected the presence of Zetsu's spores and tested his hypothesis. Those spores were used once on Sasuke Uchiha to keep track of him.

Arthur was not going to take any chances there.

Whether this encounter would reach the ears of the real Zetsu didn't matter now. He had thwarted their surveillance, and his secret nature as a formidable entity remained intact.

With the Akatsuki narrowing their movements, he became keenly aware that time was of the essence. So he finally performed the Flying raijin to return to the Cayman Jungles.

Some time later.

Arthur monitored the cloning vat inside his laboratory. The tissue paper in his hands had dried blood with grains of sand, a reminder that he still needed time to recover.

Yet he had a deadline to meet. His Hoshikaze clone was nearing completion, but because he only had one cloning vat, he had to hasten the process.

One cloning vat often took weeks to form, and they were very, very expensive. With only one month to prepare, he had to be quick.

"Get ready to release him," Arthur ordered.

Brie, standing a short distance away, hesitated. They had worked closely together, and she had grown attached to the clone. To her, she felt as if it wasn't ready and that releasing it now could throw several months of work out the window.

"My lord, I—"

"Do it."

With reluctance, she stepped toward the control panel, and she pushed the giant lever down. The viscous liquid began to drain from the vat until it was no more. Then the doors parted, revealing the clone inside.

It quickly fell onto all fours. Brie marveled at its slick dark hair and naked muscular form. Arthur himself carefully examined the creature while searching for any signs of instability.

Suddenly, a surge of chakra spilled forth from the clone, making the room vibrate. Arthur's eyes flared slightly to match its levels. The moment their chakras intertwined, the clone ceased its rampage.

It then looked up without any expression on its face before slowly rising to its feet. Liquid ran off its skin, revealing a body perfectly moulded in Arthur's vision.

"How do you feel?" Arthur inquired.

The clone examined its palm, taking in its new physical form. Then in a different tone, it said, "I'm fully stabilized. My chakra levels are subpar compared to yours, and it's clearly no match."

This was good news. Arthur had nurtured this being with his own chakra, shaping every aspect so that it could embody Hoshikaze. But what excited him more was the distinct chakra nature the clone exhibited. It was not merely a copy or using any disguises; it was almost alive with its own distinct chakra signature.

As the clone returned its gaze onto Arthur's, it saw the Blade of Chaos's edge near its throat. Neither flinched as Arthur searched deep into the clone's eyes for any hint of rebellion or confusion.

Brie stood on the sidelines with her heart pounding. What if he killed it at the moment of birth? All their work would have been for nothing. Yet Arthur was not one to take chances when stakes were this high.

"What is the only way to the kingdom of heaven?" he tested.

The clone responded in an unwavering voice, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16."

There was a pause as it concluded, "You also named me Hoshikaze…"

Arthur carefully lowered the blade without breaking his countenance. This clone had both the mind and spirit he desired. The test had been a success; it had recited scripture and identified with a name that he personally taught it during its creation.

Brie exhaled that the clone wouldn't die. "It's alive. Really alive, huh?"

"More than alive," both said at the same time. "We're born of purpose…

Now Brie was taken aback. This clone had mimicked Arthur's personality too perfectly. She couldn't even tell which one to call her lord at this point.

Now there was a promise fulfilled.