So ti later.
Jūgo's cells had been carefully preserved in the laboratory's freezing containnt. It would still take a mont to fix whatever tampering Orochimaru had done to them.
More importantly, it would take the right equipnt.
Reverse engineering modified cells involved characterizing changes and identifying chanisms. There were quite a few ways to fix them, such as genomic analysis, transcriptomic analysis, proteomic analysis, and functional assays.
To perform any one of these processes would require advanced technology that otherwise couldn't be bought from the black market.
While Arthur was having Brie look over the cells, there was one place he had in mind of visiting to get what he needed.
Right now, he stood at the base of the Fire Temple, his guise as Ryugetsu, a monk of the temple, draping him in a veneer of respectability.
The temple, with its tall spires, had never quite lost its majestic charm.
He hadn't visited in a while, and the last ti he'd been here, Chiriku hadn't been present. Arthur used his Tamashii, and it was revealed what he already suspected: Chiriku was still away.
That was alright with Arthur. Today, he wasn't here for the eminent monk; he had a more specific purpose, and that purpose brought him to the occult.
Not long ago, Arthur had marked an occultist as an investnt during one of their skirmishes with the temple. This occultist was an essential piece of the puzzle.
That mber had fled to an area where there were many electrical devices and various components—everything Arthur needed to transform his laboratory into sothing worthy of the na.
He had never been one to leave things to chance; he saw potential circumstances before they unfolded, hence why there was no one like him in this world.
Now, he could always teleport to their hideout and completely destroy them. But Arthur's reasoning for not doing this was simple: why go alone? This would be the perfect opportunity to recruit Sora and bring him along on this mission.
The young boy was also one of Arthur's investnts, and Arthur was keen to beco the catalyst for and ensure his investnts thrived.
Avoiding the prying eyes of the other monks—most of whom were oblivious to the darkness lurking beyond the temple walls—Arthur moved stealthily, darting through the shadows.
His Tamashii's range hadn't picked up on the boy's location. If that was the case, then it could only an Sora was not in the temple itself.
Arthur made his way toward the edge of the temple grounds, where he had a good feeling Sora might be. And sure enough, as he scanned the area, he spotted Sora against the backdrop of a river, crouched down as if lost in contemplation.
He was quite far from ho.
Arthur transford into smoke, gliding through the air and into the nearby thicket, where he materialized beside Sora, who had heard the rustling and instinctively turned around.
The boy's surprise changed into a smile as he recognized the monk.
"Brother Ryugetsu!" Sora exclaid with brightened look. "I didn't know you were visiting!"
Arthur returned the smile and said, "I've co to check on you, Sora. Why are you all alone and so far from the temple?"
Sora's smile faltered, and his gaze dropped to the riverbank as he admitted, "Our brothers... they've been treating worse lately... I feel more like an outcast than ever before."
Arthur could sense the boy's turmoil, the inadequacies that had word their way into Sora's spirit. It was exactly what Arthur had desired.
"And your nightmares?" he gently probed, secretly hoping for positive news.
This ti, Sora offered a light chuckle, lifting his head slightly, saying, "Well, thanks to the advice you gave , they're not as bad. Well, at least... I still have them, but they don't make feel bad anymore."
Arthur noted the boy's mixed emotions, recognizing that while Sora's progress was a step in the right direction, it didn't fix the deeper issues he faced. It was bad news for Sora personally, but it was excellent for Arthur, who was looking to cultivate the boy's abilities for his own greater ambitions.
If things continued as they were, he could already see where Sora would gradually distance himself from the temple—if not physically, then ntally—and Arthur would seize that opportunity.
"I'm glad to hear that, brother Sora," he said. The two then stood by the river, and the boy asked how Arthur had been. "I'm here on a mission, and I could use your help."
The ntion of a mission piqued Sora's interest as he asked, "My help?!"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, feeling a little intrigued by the boy's enthusiasm.
"It's a secret mission—one I've been investigating for so ti now. It involves infiltrating the headquarters of the occult and eradicating their influence for good."
Sora's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't quite present during the occult's attack, but he heard the murmurs of the temple monks about them, especially after their last confrontation.
"But I thought they hadn't attacked since you and Chiriku dealt with them?" he wondered.
"That's right," Arthur continued with a steady voice. "But they are regrouping, and I believe they're planning sothing far more dangerous than their previous attempts. We can't let them catch us off guard."
The boy was not about to let an opportunity like this pass. Ryugetsu was quite famous around the temple, and to see him in action was more than worth it.
Sora locked eyes with Arthur and declared, "Alright! I'll help!"
Arthur's gaze was intense yet reassuring as he said, "Rember, brother Sora, 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.'"
The boy wasn't aware that Arthur had quoted from Ephesians 6:12. Nonetheless, he nodded, feeling more confident as he absorbed the words.
"I forget, and I won't let you down!"
"Good. Now, touch my robe," Arthur instructed, gesturing toward the fabric.
As Sora instinctively reached out, his fingers touched him, a rush of chakra was felt, his vision blurred, and for a split second, he felt as though he were caught in a whirlwind of color and light.
Just as quickly, everything sharpened into focus. He blinked and found himself no longer in the forest. Instead, he was in a rugged, crag-like area. The rocky terrain was quite foreign and was saturated with an eerie stillness.
Suddenly, he heard Arthur's voice echoing around him: "The occult isn't far from here."
Startled, Sora comically darted around, confused as he asked, "Ugh! Where are you, brother Ryugetsu?!"
He felt a twinge of absurdity, craning his neck as if expecting Arthur to step from between the boulders.
"Worry not," Arthur's voice instructed. "I am close by, but you must follow my commands."
Sora confidently nodded. Inside, he was awestruck at where Arthur could be. He couldn't help but imagine Arthur's voice coming from sowhere far—maybe so kind of wild jutsu allowing them to communicate telepathically.
This made him truly marvel at how powerful his senior was.
In actuality, Arthur was in smoke form, using his Body Oxidation technique to nestle within Sora's very being. It was to keep tabs on the boy without the need for full possession.
Reinvigorated, Sora moved forward, navigating the craggy landscape. He listened closely to Arthur's words, letting them guide him as he moved. Eventually, he spotted a hidden entrance—a dark crevice in the rock face.
"Found it!" he exclaid.
He then pulled out his claws, sharp and ready. With a few strategic strikes, he destroyed the entrance.
"Won't this raise any alarms, brother Ryugetsu?"
"Be not afraid and push forward..."
"You got it!"
The cave-like area had been lit by rows of torches that lined the walls. As he ventured deeper inside, apprehension began to creep into his thoughts, growing with each echoing footfall.
"Brother Ryugetsu?" he asked, feeling anxious. "How far in am I exactly?"
"Calm down," Arthur's voice ca in the back of the boy's mind.
Sora imdiately obeyed, focusing on his breathing until he relaxed.
He then deepened his exploration, and at the end of the passage, he finally erged into a vast cavern illuminated by glowing crystals embedded in the walls. What greeted him left him utterly shocked: a small civilization of occultists.
They had hidden themselves well, their structures made from crude stone, intertwined with both chakra and technology that kept them cloaked from the outside world.
Sora was astounded; no normal monk would have been able to find them. He took a mont to marvel at the underestimated skill of Arthur's investigations before he steeled himself, ready to proceed further.
"What now, brother Ryugetsu?" he called out. This ti there was no response. Rattled, he tried again. "Brother Ryugetsu! What's the next step?"
Nothing but silence.
Then, an unfamiliar voice was heard from behind him: "Who dares intrude on our hideout?"
Sora turned to see an occult mber erging from the shadows, flanked by several others. They sneered with arrogant expressions.
"Crap!" Sora exclaid.
He turned to run, but the figures swiftly closed in on him, effectively surrounding him.
"Ooh, look. A lone monk thinks he can wander in here." One of the mbers teased, circling him. "How foolish."
Sora defiantly shot back and said, "I'm not alone! Brother Ryugetsu is here with !"
The occultists beca worried, having rembered what Arthur and Chiriku did to them before. But when no one else ca and no other alarm was raised, they looked at one another and began to laugh.
"Trying to buy ti, huh?" they mocked.
"I wouldn't laugh if I were you!" Sora insisted, but the longer he waited for Arthur's response, the more anxious he beca. "Brother Ryugetsu!"
Even after rasping, still, there was nothing—no reassuring voice, no presence nearby to back him up.
Understanding that his situation was growing dire, the occultic mbers exchanged glances, whispering among themselves and taunting, "Looks like those monks sent a delusional boy to spy on us."
This made Sora's blood boil as he defended himself, "I'm not scared of you!"
The occult mbers smirked nacingly, their impending attack clear. "We're gonna enjoy this."
Before Sora had a chance to react further, the group lunged at him. He quickly raised his claw and shouted, "Beast wave palm!"
Waves of chakra erupted from his hands, pushing back the encroaching occultists. He felt satisfied after knocking a few mbers off their feet. But more imdiately followed, unfazed.
Sora fought desperately, weaving and dodging, claws raking through the air. Each slash could potentially bring one down, but they were adept at avoiding them.
He began to feel weary, and with each failed attack, he beca doubtful of his situation.
The laughter of the occultists continued, taunting him, mocking his every move. This made him panic upon seeing just how outnumbered he truly was.
One of the mbers jeered, launching a punch that sent Sora to the ground. Pain shot through him, and he struggled to stand, only to find himself surrounded by grinning faces.
"Beg for rcy, little monk!" they taunted as they moved in closer, ready to strike again.
Sora felt the wind knocked out of him; he was in over his head, pushed against the wall with nowhere to run.
"Brother Ryugetsu!" he shouted in desperation.
But his response went unanswered. He was entirely alone in this fight, left to face the consequences of his audacity.
The occultic mbers were showing no rcy as they beat upon and cut him with their weapons. The pressure mounted, and just when he was on the verge of death, an untapped wave of chakra pulsed from within him.
The Nine-Tails chakra had finally erged.
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