Path Of War

The night was still young.

Arthur wasted no time returning to his apartment. He secured the doors and windows, turning his low estate into a training ground. The first thing he did was activate his Tamashii to gauge his surroundings.

No one was in sight, and Hiruzen was asleep.

Tonight's focus was on the seven heavenly breaths technique. From what he knew, this technique revolved around a series of specific breathing exercises, with each activation unlocking a new level of power.

Knowing that the eight inner gages correlated with an area of the body, he placed his attention on where the second activation would be: in the brain's right hemisphere.

Arthur settled into a meditative state, channeling chakra through his body with a practiced focus. He used the first activation, meticulously feeling out his entire being.

Hours passed as he cycled through the breaths. The first activation gave him energy, preventing him from getting tired—his body was buzzing with vitality. But the second activation remained elusive.

Focusing on his brain was a complicated matter. It did not seem that the seven heavenly breaths were at all the same as the eight inner gates. Arthur, not giving up, pushed himself, forcing the first activation to remain as long as he could.

Just as he felt he was on the verge of unlocking the next activation, the world began to blur and tilt. Dizziness forced him to break his concentration.

The negative feedback left him with an intense mental soreness. His entire mind and body became lethargic, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. Without giving it a second thought, he slumped to the floor and rested.

Afternoon light streamed through the window, rousing him from his failed training. He had overslept, and the regret of making a mistake was disturbing him. Arthur had to be perfect, for as it is written in the Holy Bible: be ye perfect, for I am perfect.

He needed to double down on his efforts, determined to practice again tonight. But for now, the day awaited him.

He rose, feeling a tad stiff. After eating, he stepped outside to the bustle of the Leaf Village. There were so many things he could do in a day, but he set his sights on the things that profited him the most: the training grounds.

When he rounded the corner, he saw something interesting. There, in the center of the clearing he normally frequented, Asuma was barking instructions at his team—Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi. They were working on their famous "Ino-Shika-Chō formation."

An idea popped into Arthur's head. Clans—those were the missing pieces.

Clans are a family or group of ninjas that existed even before villages were formed. Many clans are known for their special abilities and secret techniques. Membership in a clan is usually based on blood since these secret techniques are passed down through families, making them confidants.

These secret techniques are not written down but taught orally to keep them secret. Anyone can learn a secret technique in theory, but some require a special ability or lineage from the clan that originally developed it.

A daring plan began to take shape. Training could wait. Today, Arthur would focus on information gathering.

Finding a hiding spot, he dissolved into smoke. He reappeared moments later in the Akimichi clan district, hovering outside the compound.

The Akimichi clan is a prominent one in the Leaf Village, known for their use of manipulating their body size and weight, granting them immense physical strength.

To fuel their chakra-heavy techniques, Akimichi members have large appetites and can even convert fat into chakra using special pills. Arthur's knowledge of that technique could be the key to improving his foundation.

While still in his smoke form, he slipped through ventilation shaft after ventilation shaft, looking for scrolls. He found himself accessing libraries, stores, and even their clan leader's vacant home.

There were many obese members, many of whom were wearing the symbol for food on their garments, yet he couldn't find anything related to their secret techniques. He knew they wouldn't be written down anywhere, but it was worth searching to make sure.

Arthur already understood the basics of learning the technique he was after. To execute it, however, he needed to know the technique's proper fundamentals—the way the clan optimized it.

While drifting through the compound, a certain character's movement caught his attention. In a secluded training ground, a young man with short, spiky hair was spotted jogging in place.

Arthur recognized this character—Makaro Akimichi, a participant in the Fourth Shinobi War. Although his features are now a lot younger, Arthur still recognized him. He appeared to be fourteen based on his size.

'Transformation jutsu.'

Without wasting time, Arthur's form solidified, morphing into the spitting image of Chōza Akimichi, the current head of the Akimichi clan. He puffed out his chest, mimicking Chōza's signature confident stride as he approached the boy.

"Makaro," he boomed, "dedication like that is what makes the Akimichi strong."

Makaro spun around while still jogging, his eyes widening in surprise. When he noticed who complimented him, he stammered, "C-Clan Head?" Then he comically tripped on himself, falling to the ground.

The impersonation seemed to be working.

"Indeed," Arthur continued in a gruff but encouraging tone. "You're young, but you've got potential. Tell me, Makaro, are you confident in your grasp of our Calorie Control technique?"

Makaro's cheeks flushed red as he said, "I, uh, I'm working on it, sir! But sometimes..." he trailed off.

"Sometimes what, my boy?"

Makaro fidgeted with his shirt before saying, "Well, you know, the massive amounts of food... it's hard to know exactly how much is too much."

This was it—the key to understanding the intricacies of the technique. So Arthur pressed on.

"Tell me, my boy. How exactly are you controlling the chakra when you use the technique?"

"Ah! Yes, sir!" Makara answered. "Like I was taught, the art lies not just in consumption but in understanding my body's unique limits. I have to always listen to my chakra flow and feel out the chakra itself as my food converts into my stomach linings."

Makaro continued disclosing information, understanding his own flaws in the process.

"How could I forget?! It's a balancing act. Too little food or too little chakra, and I'll strain my belly!"

Arthur boomed in laughter, mimicking exactly how Chōza would have responded. When Makaro heard more compliments thrown his way, his eyes shone.

The information he needed to understand was now in Arthur's possession.

With a final pat on the shoulder, he left Makaro to resume training.

A risky choice having turned into Chōza in the first place, but Arthur wasn't stupid; he knew Chōza wasn't at all in the district after diligently searching the area.

With his information gathering accomplished, he slipped to the restaurant plaza.

The heart of Leaf Village was bustling with activity. Stalls overflowed with produce, and he could hear the clanging of pots in open kitchens.

He navigated to the "Bull's Bite" restaurant. Unlike the ramen shops and dumpling houses frequented by others, he sought a specific kind of sustenance—meat.

He settled into a booth where the walls were adorned with mounted animal heads (much to the vegetarian crowd's dismay).

A young waiter approached with a smile and said, "Welcome to Bull's Bite, sir! Can I interest you in our signature 'Rampaging Bull Steak?' Its ten-ounce goodness is full of the finest Leaf beef, marinated in our secret spices!"

Arthur scanned the menu, ignoring the waiter. He knew he needed the most out of what the restaurant had to offer.

"That sounds perfect," he confirmed. "Give me twenty-five pounds of it."

"You got it, sir. Twenty-five pounds of… Twenty-five pounds?!"

The waiter was taken aback by the sheer audacity of his order. A twenty-five-pound steak was enough to feed a party of sumo wrestlers. What would one little ninja know about what he was ordering?

Arthur pulled out eight hundred ryō, plus a tip, to prove he wasn't kidding.

With a nervous chuckle, the waiter confirmed the order, scurried into the kitchen, and relayed it to the head chef.

The chef, a giant sporting a handlebar mustache, was impressed by the unusual request. He personally took charge of Arthur's meal after seeing it was paid in full.

Half an hour later, multiple sizzling platters arrived, and the meats were cooked to perfection.

Arthur dug in, the first bite confirming his taste buds. It was indeed an ignorantly blissful bite. The taste was pleasant and meaty, but deep down, he knew it was only virtual food—his mind was being tricked.

As he devoured the gargantuan steaks, he focused the chakra in his gut, feeling a peculiar sensation. It felt artificial and a tad pleasant. Finishing the last bite, an unfamiliar pressure built in his stomach, the remnants of the meal beginning their digestive process.

This was his signal.

He closed his eyes, focusing his chakra again. With precise control, he channeled it towards the points in his belly, feeling the flow across his abdomen.

The food digested faster and began converting at a quicker rate than his metabolism was used to.

He felt lighter; his body was being energized despite the massive amount of food he'd just consumed. The pressure in his stomach had dissipated, replaced by a comfortable warmth.

But it wasn't enough.

He opened his eyes and called for the waiter.

"Bring me another order."

"Another order?!" the waiter squeaked in disbelief. Only when he noticed that Arthur had polished off the entire steak platter, leaving nothing behind, did he understand that he wasn't joking.

"Yes, and make sure it's a quarter of a hundred pounds," Arthur demanded, pulling out another eight hundred ryō plus two hundred in tips.

The waiter's jaw dropped. This wasn't just impressive anymore; it was borderline inhuman. A normal person would be groaning on the floor, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of food. But this ninja remained seemingly unfazed.

Moments later, the second platter arrived, and Arthur repeated the process.

Closing his eyes, he focused on his gut again, feeling the chakra flow. This time, however, it was a lot smoother and more easily balanced.

Things were working better. And there was a reason: his clan-less trait.

The Calorie Control technique was akin to a buff trait, one that supported the user. Grasping this secret technique was easy once he got the fundamentals down.

Arthur could now convert various parts of his cells into a steady stream of chakra to advance his own prowess.

The Calorie Control technique, paired with his other techniques, like his chakra-enhanced strength, could help him create a potent synergy for enhanced combat performance.

By efficiently converting massive amounts of fat into chakra, he can fuel his body for extended periods. This translates to quicker recovery times in and out of battles, allowing him to utilize healing techniques more frequently without much chakra depletion.

Additionally, the constant influx of chakra from the Calorie Control technique can be channeled to augment his physical strength further. That also meant he could maintain his peak physical performance for longer durations, deliver stronger blows, and maneuver with greater endurance.

Essentially, he becomes a self-sustaining engine of power so long as he has calories to work with—fat cells, muscle cells—all of which can be converted.

There was an inclusion to this secret technique: "Butterfly Mode."

Butterfly Mode is a semi-transformation used by the Akimichi clan, where they convert their body fat into chakra, granting them butterfly wings, enhanced strength, and special techniques.

It requires immense chakra and can be risky, with special pills offering a shortcut to entry.

Arthur didn't need those pills due to his advanced chakra control. And due to Calorie Control, it would be a safer option to practice entering it instead.

Arthur's hand rose up. Just as he was about to wave down the waiter for another round, the chime of the restaurant door sounded.

"There you are, Arthur!" someone chirped. When he looked to see who it was, he saw Alice. "Took me ages! I've been looking all over for you."

Arthur forced a smile and said, "Just enjoying a meal."

"Meal?" Alice raised an eyebrow, seeing no plates on the table. The waiter had already cleared it, prepared to see if Arthur would order more. "You must have just eaten, then. Good! I need you now."

"For what?"

"Mission briefing, duh!" Alice said, plopping down opposite him. "The Yamanaka clan... Er, I mean my family, just assigned me a new mission, and with the Chūnin Exams coming up..."

Arthur's eyes slightly twitched. He knew exactly where this was going. Alice wanted him to participate.

Yet this wasn't bad; it was the perfect opportunity—a chance to infiltrate her clan and learn their secret techniques.

"And?" he prompted, feigning interest.

"And…" Alice trailed off, her eyes narrowing. "Isn't it obvious? I need a second teammate, and you're the only one who needs mission requirements like me."

"What about Will?"

"You in or out?!" she yelled unexpectedly.

Arthur scoffed before accepting.