Path Of War-Chapter 363: Reputation

Arthur spent most of his days in his small apartment. In case he received unexpected guests, he filled the quiet space with a few basic furnishings that didn't even dent his finances.

Outside, the village had not once suspected him since he kept to himself.

His days were spent watching the village's daily routines and waiting. He had hoped the Raikage would step outside at some point to train or to show some sign of the power Arthur sought to understand.

But the Raikage remained absorbed in paperwork and shouting at advisors over mundane permits. Arthur listened to the noise but didn't pay much attention since his focus always jumped from place to another.

If he stayed quiet and observed, maybe he'd get a glimpse of something useful. But that moment never arrived.

Instead, Arthur watched the academy students practicing solo drills. It was disappointing. The young students rarely trained seriously. Most of their practice was half-hearted, distracted, or just going through motions.

It was the older ninjas who made the effort to refine their skills. Yet their training wasn't fixed, and where they practiced was far from his apartment.

Arthur's interest was in the lightning element itself. He had come to this village hoping to learn some of their techniques. So far, progress was slow.

Even their taijutsu, as interesting as it was, wasn't something worth replicating.

The village also lacked secret scrolls or documents that detailed the machinations of lightning techniques. Yes, they had books that explained the chakra element, but he had already known that information.

The Raikage, who was known for his signature "Lightning Style Armour," it seemed, was passed down orally. Rumour had it that this technique was a secret only given to the Kage that desired to learn it.

While observing ninjas perform lightning techniques in the village was rare, just seeing glimpses of it during their sparring matches wasn't enough.

For instance, the Sharingan could virtually copy almost any ninjutsu it saw regardless of whether the user knew the element or not. Yet for his Tamashii, it was being used to dissect the chakra within the technique to better understand it.

To truly learn, he needed to first comprehend and then practice till the technique was perfect. Right now, all he could do was produce minor sparks.

That wouldn't do against those S-ranked ninjas. What he would do, however, was learn all of the Raikage's techniques.

And just who was the Raikage?

From what was written about him, he inherited his position from his father. He is known for being quite direct, valuing strength and action. Although tough and quick to act, he cares deeply for his family, especially for Killer B, whom he adopted.

He is physically very strong and fast, able to move quickly and fight powerful enemies. He also prefers using wrestling-style moves and relies on his physical strength in battle.

Despite his large build, he can dodge attacks and react quickly, making him a tough opponent.

Most fans did not like him because of his serious and sometimes impulsive personality. He tends to act on instinct and believes that strength is what matters most. He can also be quick to anger and act recklessly—the only traits Arthur did not value in him.

Throughout his career, the Raikage fought many strong opponents, including Naruto and Sasuke years from now. In the end, the Raikage may as well be considered the strongest out of all the five main Kage right now.

Arthur knew there was more beneath the surface that others saw. And he also knew how to exploit them.

For instance, the Raikage's straightforwardness and protectiveness, willingness to fight hard for his people and family, made his heart vulnerable. Behind that tough exterior, Arthur could easily dismantle his village's leadership.

But there was no reason to do that now. Or rather, Arthur didn't find interest in doing so.

No, the real intrigue lay elsewhere, within two figures: Killer B and Yugito. Yet, he hadn't seen either of them. Not once. And that absence nagged at him more than he cared to admit.

Nonetheless, this was giving him time to build his own reputation as Hoshikaze. If he wanted to build said reputation and be recognized, he needed to do something meaningful here, something that would leave a mark.

What better way than to start small?

Now, this village had more problems than it liked to reveal. Behind its serene exterior, there were issues that needed addressing—diseases spreading among the common folk, a harsh tax system that was harsh, and a looming natural disaster that threatened to turn from flood to tsunami outside the coast.

Arthur, with all his experiences, knew just how to handle those troubles.

His first step was to contribute in a way that would be noticed but without drawing too much attention while working.

As such, he made his way to the hospital to begin his quiet act of service.

The hospital was busy with medical ninjas and other staff members rushing from patient to patient. Arthur calmly moved through the chaos while observing the hurried efforts of the nurses and healers.

Many of them paid him little mind, so he approached a room near the back.

Inside was a kunoichi lying on a bed. She was wrapped in bandages around her waist, and her face was pale.

"You don't look like a nurse," she smiled in a hoarse voice after seeing him. "I take it you're new?"

"You can say that," he replied, taking her medical chart.

Apparently, she was a Genin who had stabbed herself during a training session. Quite the reckless move for a ninja to make.

The nurses had already removed the kunai and stitched her wound. She was fortunate it wasn't worse. They had also given her paid medication.

Arthur knew quickly that she didn't need painkillers. Using medicine alone might mask the pain temporarily, but it wouldn't restore her strength or speed recovery. What she needed was proper healing.

As such, he set her chart aside and approached her bedside. "Relax, okay?" She watched as he placed his hand gently on her bandaged abdomen. 'Healing jutsu...'

His technique was so tender and precise that she could feel the warmth spreading from his palm. It seeped into her body; her eyes widened as the pain diminished. Now it was replaced by a soothing comfort.

She looked down at her wound, then back up at him with both surprise and gratitude.

"That... that was fast," she gasped. Clearly she hadn't experienced this before. "Thank you so much, sir!"

"No thanks needed," he quietly said. "Just stay here for a while to rest until the nurses come back to check you out properly."

The girl seemed to want to say more, but she simply nodded again as he left the room. On to the next task.

It took four hours to make his rounds, heal a handful of patients, and quietly slip away.

Within that time frame, the hospital became even louder because an unknown man was healing patients left and right without anyone knowing who he was.

"What do you mean some guy wearing a blindfold healed your wounds?!" the nurses would ask in shock.

"You mean he doesn't work here?" the patients always wondered.

No workers had seen Arthur come into any rooms, yet suddenly, their most battered patients were suddenly standing up and asking to go home.

Even after exiting the hospital, the rumours about him grew louder. The staff, the patients, even the security—none could quite grasp what they'd experienced this morning.

Only one thing was certain: that mysterious healer had left an impression. They only remembered his features—all black with a blindfold and an aura of quiet confidence.

To Arthur, such actions were small. But they were enough to increase his reputation.

Onto the next mission: tackling their little taxation problem.

Having used his Tamashii to dive into their files, he discovered that the villagers were really upset due to the strict taxation system; it made them work harder than necessary. The heavy taxes had also taken away a big part of what little they earned, leaving the poor struggling to get by.

And it wasn't just their work being taxed; it was also the food.

The system had punished them for simply trying to do their jobs, so it was understandable why they had been angry—they just wanted a fair chance to support their families and community without constantly feeling crushed by the taxes.

As such, Arthur found himself outside a conference room close to the Raikage's office. Inside the room were non-ninja village officials. But the most important figure in the room was the country's feudal lord.

Yōsuke Akimoto was his name. He was a dark-skinned fellow with a thick beard and round, silver-framed glasses that reflected light. He also wore a dark cloak as opposed to a white one.

Arthur had known him during his tenure as a feudal lord's successor.

Since there was no security at the door or inside the building, Arthur barged through the door. The arrival was quite abrupt, startling many.

"What the heck?!" a man in a suit yelled, sitting up.

No formal announcement, no respectful bow. Arthur just entered without ceremony, with a large satchel in his hand.

Everyone else in the room looked up in surprise, but he paid no mind. He had a purpose here.

Without hesitation, he approached the center of the table and placed the satchel alongside a small note. What was inside it? Ryō, and a lot of it.

When the room saw it, they fell silent. Not because of the amount of money, but because Arthur just left without notice.

"What in the world just happened?!" someone wondered.

Yōsuke's eyes flicked from the bag with an unreadable expression. The other officials exchanged uncertain looks. Some were uncomfortable, and others were curious. Yōsuke himself was interested in Arthur's act, so he disregarded the money and began reading the note.

'To the esteemed feudal lord of the Lightning Country, may your benevolence shine upon your realm. It has come to my attention that the current taxation policies, particularly the heavy rice taxes, are causing significant hardship among our villagers.'

Yōsuke now regarded the letter as he continued reading, 'Many are struggling to meet their obligations, which has led to increased poverty and debt that's threatening the well-being and stability of our land.'

"Oh," he said, having been unaware.

'In the spirit of justice and prosperity for all, I humbly suggest a reassessment of the taxation system. Consider implementing a more equitable approach, such as scaled taxes based on the villagers' ability to pay or providing relief during times of hardship. Encouraging local commerce and supporting agricultural resilience can also help ease economic burdens. And if it requires funds to do these things, use this money for the purpose of goodwill.'

His eyes narrowed to the satchel. From the looks of it, there had to be at least one million ryō inside. Perhaps even more.

'May your just rule continue to foster harmony and prosperity throughout the Lightning Country. Respectfully submitted, Hoshikaze.'

When Yōsuke put the letter down, he became quiet. The others looked to him for answers.

"My lord, should we inform security about this?"

"No," Yōsuke commanded. "I do believe we should discuss another matter."

"What is it, my lord?"

"First answer me this," Yōsuke said in a stern voice, "what is the progress of our country's tax?"

At that question, many of these officials began sweating.

Outside, Arthur verified that Yōsuke had no idea of this problem. This was clear based on the village official's reaction. Clearly they had not prioritized their citizens' financial stability.

Arthur's act would ensure an easy fix without jeopardizing anyone's reputation.

Was it really that easy? On the surface, he made it seem that way. He dropped the bag of ryō, left the meeting without a fuss, and the village's officials didn't stop him. Deep down, they all understood the significance of all of this.

Guaranteed questions would be asked—probably to the Raikage himself since Arthur didn't hide the fact he was a shinobi here.

What would A (the Raikage) think? Was it disrespectful? Perhaps. But Arthur didn't care much for protocol right now. He'd already set his plan into motion, and he was confident that, as usual, he'd adapt when the time came.

Now onto his next thing to further increase his reputation.