Clan Gathering × Outcast

Nara Shikaku had known Nara Dan since childhood.

The way they got acquainted was simple: every time Shikaku tried to take a nap, he was jolted awake by the thunderous sound of Nara Dan's Taijutsu training.

This naturally made the lazy Nara Shikaku miserable beyond words.

Until one time, when Shikaku could no longer bear it and decided to confront the source of the noise, he stepped into Nara Dan's yard and was stunned by what he saw.

The ground was littered with broken training posts, and the solid floor was covered in cracks.

What was even more exaggerated was that the striking posts Nara Dan was hitting weren't made of wood—

they were solid iron!

That was the root of the deafening noise: the tremendous sound of Nara Dan's flesh and blood colliding with solid iron.

From that day on, Shikaku fully understood that Nara Dan was a freak among the Nara Clan.

"But Brother Dan, at today's clan meeting, what do you think those old geezers will cook up against you?"

Nara Shikaku wore a look of someone ready to watch a show, grinning as he spoke.

"We've reached the meeting grounds. Don't talk nonsense."

Nara Dan didn't directly answer Shikaku's question, instead looking ahead at a building.

Just then, a Nara clansman stationed at the entrance came forward to greet them.

"Lord Dan, the clan meeting has already begun. Please go in quickly."

Nara Dan nodded and walked straight in.

Though it was said the meeting had started, the conference hall was utterly silent, with no activity at all.

This was because the core topic of discussion at this clan meeting was none other than Nara Dan himself.

As Nara Dan stepped into the hall, he immediately drew the gaze of every clansman present.

Not only because he was the focal point of today's meeting, but also because his physique stood out so starkly among the Nara Clan.

Surrounded by a group of Nara clansmen averaging around 1.7 meters in height, Nara Dan's nearly 1.9-meter frame and rock-solid muscles cast a shadow wherever he stood, making him impossible to ignore.

Nara Dan swept his gaze across the room, his eyes sharp as lightning.

His refined, powerful body exuded an overwhelming pressure, and every Nara clansman who met his eyes quickly looked away.

The creaking of the wooden floor under his abnormally heavy weight only added to the oppressive atmosphere.

The Nara Clan Head sighed inwardly at the sight.

Strictly speaking, the Nara Clan was in a bit of a generational gap. The elite Jonin of the older generation had all aged, while the new generation of ninjas were still children, either not yet grown or lacking the necessary talent.

And the one clansman who was, strictly speaking, an absolutely outstanding junior—

one whose talent few in Nara history could rival—happened to be...

But regardless, as a clan head, he kept his emotions from showing on his face.

The Nara Clan Head slowly spoke:

"Dan, since you're here, take a seat."

"Yes, Clan Head."

Nara Dan's expression remained unchanged as he sat down directly to the right of the Clan Head, with Nara Shikaku following close behind.

After a brief pause in the proceedings, the Clan Head began the main topic of the day.

"Three days ago, Nara Dan became a Special Jonin, the 27th Jonin currently active in our clan."

"He is also the first and only Jonin promoted from the Nara Clan since the Second Great Ninja War."

The Clan Head slowly laid out the meeting's theme.

But contrary to the joy of having a promising junior, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavier and even stranger as the Clan Head's words continued.

Yet this did not interrupt the Clan Head's speech. He turned to Nara Dan and said, "Dan, for you to become a Special Jonin at the age of 17 during peacetime, your talent is beyond doubt."

"In fact, given your achievements and strength, it's only a matter of time before the word 'Special' is dropped."

"The clan is very pleased with your accomplishments."

"This clan meeting is the Nara House's way of rewarding you."

At that, a servant stepped forward with a tray and presented it to Nara Dan.

On it rested three items: a ten-jin block of Chakra Metal, a contract, and a scroll of unknown content.

The Chakra Metal went without saying—the Nara Clan Head knew that Nara Dan's demand for and consumption of such metal was enormous.

Though he didn't know the exact details of the Secret Technique Nara Dan was cultivating, he had a rough idea.

As for the Chakra Metal, it naturally catered to his preferences. After all, Chakra Metal wasn't something you could buy just because you had money.

Chakra Metal could be used to forge weapons of considerable power, enough to allow a ninja to challenge opponents above their rank, or even kill them.

In every ninja village, it was a military-controlled resource, ranked above consumables like Explosive Tags and Kunai.

Without a certain level of authority, you simply couldn't get your hands on it.

That was why Nara Dan's expression shifted slightly—ten whole jin of Chakra Metal, if used sparingly, could make three pure Chakra weapons.

By "pure," of course, few were extravagant enough to forge weapons entirely from Chakra Metal; most mixed in just a little.

The second contract was a shareholding agreement.

Every Jonin of the Nara Clan held a certain amount of shares in the clan's businesses, entitling them to monthly dividends.

The dividends on this contract amounted to a full one million ryo per month. From what Nara Dan knew, this was the standard for an Elite Jonin of the clan.

As for the last scroll, he wasn't sure what it was, but he figured it wouldn't be worth less than the other two.

Indeed, the Nara Clan lived up to their reputation as the deer of wisdom among the Ino-Shika-Cho. Whether in intellect or unity, they excelled.

Regardless of whether Nara Dan practiced the Nara Clan's Shadow Secret Technique, the clan spared no effort in recruiting him as a valuable asset.

Not just today, but for years now.

That was also why Nara Dan was willing to maintain a close relationship with the clan.

"Thank you, Clan Head."

He said this sincerely enough, but added nothing more. After putting away the rewards, he sat back down.

The Nara Clan Head sighed inwardly. He had hoped Nara Dan would say a few more words to inspire the clan members.

But he knew Nara Dan's temperament well and didn't press further.

The other elders of the Nara Clan watched this scene with complicated expressions, a mix of emotions swirling within them.

After all, the Nara Clan had always been known throughout the Ninja World for their intellect and the Shadow Secret Technique, generation after generation. The Ino-Shika-Cho formation had even persisted for nearly a hundred years.

Yet in this generation, they had produced Nara Dan, an irrational anomaly.

If you said he was a Nara, his parents and ancestors were all orthodox Nara clan members.

If you said he wasn't, he had barely trained in the Shadow Secret Technique at all, instead focusing purely on Taijutsu.

If it were just childish antics, it might be forgivable. With the intelligence inherited in Nara blood, he would eventually realize that the clan's time-honed secret techniques were a precious treasure that civilian ninjas or small ninja clans could only dream of obtaining.

That was what Nara Shikaku had referred to earlier as the elders' gossip.