Finally, with an additive sense of urgency, he rifled through one final document.
It detailed the training schedules of elite squads preparing for possible confrontations. He might find an opening, or a gap in their vigilance, which he could exploit to undermine their systems. Any shred of knowledge gained was akin to a scout report on a battlefield, one that would allow him to plan his next move.
As he absorbed the information and made mental notes, he registered a shift in the atmosphere outside the report center: distant footsteps approaching.
This was not the time to be discovered. So with fluidity, he coiled underneath the counter to hide himself just as the door swung open.
Two Anbu agents entered and began talking to one another.
"...constant vigilance is our course. The Hokage demands nothing less."
"I mean, recommended shifts are being organized for border checks. We should ensure that nothing slips through."
"Agreed."
"Seriously, if even one rogue ninja makes it through, we're in major trouble. At least, that Uchiha would be."
Arthur knew they were hinting at Sasuke; they had not only confirmed his suspicions regarding the previous reports but also validated the imperative of ensuring Sasuke's isolation. What was more was that it looked like they had new reports in their hands.
As the agents continued to exchange thoughts, he heard them talking about a recent event that unfolded near the borders of the country.
"We'll be allocating more resources to track down where those Sound ninjas came from."
"Good idea. The moment we nail down their exact location, we might be able to also find Orochimaru."
Once they filed in their papers and left, Arthur felt the gears turning in his head.
He emerged from under his makeshift hiding spot and gathered more information on these new reports.
The Anbu, right now, were more focused on blocking the entrances of the village. While they were trying to locate the Sound Four, they had little to work with on account of the rogues keeping their distance.
That meant he could encroach on the spots they weren't surveilling.
After he was done, he stored the papers back exactly as they were before he entered the room. Then he maneuvered away from the facility with a new destination in mind: the Yamanaka clan district.
Getting there was uneventful.
When he arrived, he considered how this was only the second time he had been here. The first was many months ago with Alice. Even after such a time, things in this clan remained the same. That was considering that the clan head's only daughter died.
Arthur didn't need to inhale deeply to smell the constant sweet arouma wafting from blooming flowers. But why would he risk approaching a clan notoriously known for having skilled sensors?
Simple: this clan was highly skilled in mental techniques—an experience that left many a shinobi's sanity unsteady. Their abilities could also grant him entry into the minds of various characters he didn't know much about.
More importantly, he had already verified that their best sensor, Alice, was not here. He had verified that after scanning the entire compound with his Crimson Gaze.
Coming here was a wonderful choice.
It wasn't long until his senses finally found a room with something worthwhile. So he passed many unsuspecting clan members before slipping through a narrow doorway.
Inside were dusty shelves, each lined with scrolls. This, as he knew, was the clan's secret library. It held the knowledge of generations for those daring enough to seek it.
A scroll caught his attention, so he pulled it out and began reading. The techniques listed here were all interesting. But the main one he sought to learn was called the "Psycho Mind Transmission" jutsu, a technique that unlocked the very depths of a ninja's psyche.
'Let's see…' he thought, scanning the texts.
The Psycho Mind Transmission technique was a method for a user to access the subconscious of a target. This could be achieved by physically placing a hand upon the target's head and establishing a direct conduit to their mind. Through this connection, the user could then extract any necessary information, even if the target had forgotten it or had actively placed mental blocks upon it.
Interestingly, the efficiency of this process was influenced by the user's skill and experience. That meant highly adept individuals could sift through days or even years of a target's memories in mere moments.
Conversely, less experienced users might have to review each memory in its entirety to find what they sought.
But this technique wasn't all-powerful. Memories with mental blocks required a longer duration of probing to overcome and obtain the information held within. Special seals could also prevent a ninja's mind from being violated.
Targets under the influence of this technique that had significant chakra control could temporarily resist it. But if that were to happen, a special device that could both decrease the time needed for this mind-reading process and counter resistance was mentioned.
Other ninjas could also assist in the transmission.
Arthur had remembered this device being used by the Leaf's interrogation team. If he had been captured during Orochimaru's failed invasion, someone like Inoichi would have relished extracting every piece of information from Arthur's mind.
Continuing his read, the scroll also alluded to the concept of spiritual energy, particularly in relation to the soul.
A soul in this world, from what he understood, was the spirit of a living creature. It essentially resembled the individual themselves.
While not explicitly stated as a direct component of the technique itself, the broader context reminded Arthur of Nagato's Human Path ability, which granted the power to read minds by touching the target.
That ability, however, was fatal to the target, resulting in the physical removal of their soul from their body once the user withdrew their hand.
Learning all this allowed Arthur to get a subtle grasp on how chakra was linked to souls. Such as how souls with vast chakra and potential could pass them onto new reincarnates, implying a deep connection between spiritual energy, the soul, and the information it contained.
Regarding the technique, it seemed simple enough to execute. Virtually any ninja with the aptitude would have no problem trying to train it. The only issue was having a high level of spiritual energy within one's chakra.
Something like that wasn't going to be a challenge for a ninja like him.
As such, every detail written within the scroll was committed to memory.