Chapter 64: Collection Office
The sun was setting. Arthur, after a long day of traveling, finally reached the bounty station.
Zabuza's body, despite Arthur mending his wounds, showed signs of early decomposition. The flesh had paled considerably; the features were still recognizable, but now it was evident that this was a corpse.
The building itself was a long, narrow structure with a weathered façade and blue roofing tiles. It stood at the country's edge, near its borders.
Bounty stations, Arthur knew, often operated on the fringes of societal norms, catering to those who existed for dirty work.
If all bounty stations followed the same design as the ones from the original story, he would have a good idea of what to expect.
Spotting the entrance to the bathroom, Arthur made his way towards it. Inside were rows of stalls, offering little privacy.
He activated his Tamashii to sense the surrounding area. There, he found a hidden doorway within the walls. This was it. A secret entrance that was only known to a select few.
Arthur himself only knew about it because it was the same method an Akatsuki member named Kakazu used to collect Chiriku's bounty.
Arthur deactivated the chakra flow, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. Stepping toward the wall, he placed his palm flat against the surface. A low hum was heard through the structure, and then, with a slow, grinding sound, the wall slid open, revealing a dark passage beyond.
A figure emerged from the darkness. A skinny woman in a lab coat, her face covered in shadows, peered at him with spiraling spectacles.
"Can I help you?" she asked in suspicion.