Chapter 419: Ardian
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE, Arthur needed to get a feel for the place. That was the first step: learning who they were, how they walked and talked, and what mattered to them.
Thanks to the memories of the monks, he already had a good idea of where to start.
The main village was simple. No grand roads or elaborate structures. Just a cluster of small houses built into the earth and topped with thatch. They were like low, semi-subterranean, built from rough wood. There was also no official name for the place, but that didn’t matter.
As he moved quietly via his smoke form, he kept to the shadows and watched the villagers go about their daily routines. They seemed busy but unhurried, while many simply focused on their work. Some were tending fields, planting or harvesting crops, while others prepared food for the evening meal.
A few were craftsmen that shaped tools from stone, bone, and metal. Their metalwork was basic, mostly bronze, which made sense given the village’s modest means. It wasn’t a wealthy place; that much was clear, but it was functional.
Arthur stayed hidden for the most part since he was here to learn, not to interfere. He watched the villagers, noting their simple routines, their conversations, and their mannerisms.
Interestingly, they spoke plainly, without the ornate language or archaic speech he’d expected. Their words were straightforward, in English—modern English, not like the monks’ dialect. That surprised him somewhat.
It also explained why the Tailed Beasts had no trouble understanding the language. They must have learned it from the villagers, or at least from the environment.
Once the sun finally set, Arthur began his search elsewhere. He found a quiet spot among some trees and activated his Tamashii. Then he focused on the central area of the village to try and locate that cursed tree.
Yet he came up short.
He couldn’t see any chakra emissions coming from anywhere special. So instead, he scoured the area with Sage Mode, hoping to detect some subtle sign. Even then, he found nothing. The natural energy here was pure and untainted, just the way it should be.
"So, Asura really did destroy all of it..." he said to himself.