Making A Name
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As the Takahara clan chunin master went on their way, the clone looked in their direction and then spoke, "You all go and invite the other four clan chakra masters here."
All of them nodded and replied, "Yes, my lord."
Soon, they departed.
As they left, the clone, seated on a stone, looked up at the sky.
"Almost a month here… seems like I should upgrade my progress."
Time passed. An hour went by.
One by one, the masters who had been sent out returned, accompanied by a large number of other masters from the four different clans.
The moment they stepped inside the formation, their perception of the area changed instantly.
What had appeared to be a site under construction from the outside was already completed.
The sudden shift made them more vigilant.
Soon, twelve masters knelt on the ground before him. The clone spoke, "You all have done well."
He then shifted his attention toward the newly arrived masters. Forming a hand seal, he subtly placed them under an illusion.
The clone continued, "Do not be so vigilant. Let's relax. I mean no harm.
I simply wish to know how many of you come from outside the four clans, from civilian descent, and how many are from the clans."
Soon enough, more than thirty-six masters stepped forward. Seeing this, he nodded and began explaining his story. After some time, the matter settled.
Out of those thirty-six masters, two remained, while thirty-four joined Hiruzen's side, enraging the four clans' Chūnin masters.
They swallowed their grievances, but at the same time, they feared the clone's prowess and kept themselves under control.
After some discussion, the remaining masters departed, leaving only forty-six in the field.
Hiruzen stepped forward and spoke, "You all are not worthy enough to follow me yet. For now, I will only allow you to run errands here and there.
Prove yourselves, gain approval, and you shall have a chance to move forward."
A stir ran through the remaining ninja. However, they soon found reassurance in knowing they would have a chance to prove themselves.
The clone waved his hand and pulled out a scroll from his storage pouch, astonishing everyone. Forming a seal, he said, "Release!"
The scroll unfurled, and a total of forty-six smaller scrolls emerged, flying toward the ninja. They caught them hurriedly.
The clone spoke, "These contain the basic knowledge of the ninja creed, something that every academy student in the Five Nations learns.
Memorize it properly—only then will you have a foundation to build upon."
Then, he took out two more types of scrolls.
"This," he said, "is the basic chakra-gathering technique used across the Five Nations, along with knowledge of hand seals for formations.
To open these scrolls, you must gather your chakra and form the Ram seal with both hands while channeling your energy.
Become proficient in it, and you will gain access to its contents."
He paused before adding, "Master these within two days and come to me."
"Dismissed!"
The forty-six ninja snapped out of their stupor and responded in unison, "Yes, my lord!"
They quickly dispersed to different corners of the dojo.
With a clap, the clone formed hand seals, using Wood Release to construct houses in the four corners of the land, providing space for them to train individually.
With that settled, the clone rested.
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Meanwhile, the entire city was in turmoil. Despite its lively appearance, all five clan territories were heavily guarded by soldiers.
Inside the main halls, a gloomy atmosphere pervaded.
Inside the Takahara Clan Hall, a middle-aged man sat on the main seat, kneeling on a cushion placed over a tatami mat. Others sat before him.
The man spoke, "So you are saying that the mysterious master came from the Five Nations and is one of the twenty Kage-level masters—or 'ninja,' as he calls himself?"
The Chūnin master, kneeling before him, replied, "Yes, Lord Takahara. He gave us a subtle warning. All twelve masters have already left the clan."
The middle-aged man took a sip of tea before putting his cup down.
"Is his strength greater than yours?" he asked.
The Chūnin master's expression darkened with fear. "Y-Yes, my lord. The moment I stepped into that courtyard, my senses screamed at me.
One wrong move, and I would have been killed in an instant."
The middle-aged man remained expressionless.
"And is he more powerful than… that man?" he asked.
The Chūnin master immediately understood and replied, "Yes. That Sukuna master only formed a three-meter-wide fireball.
But this man in the courtyard? He breathed out a ten-meter-wide fireball in an instant."
The other eight masters present nodded in agreement.
The Chūnin master continued, "He even told us that in the Five Nations, if you don't even know jutsu, you're nothing more than an academy student. And that's not all, my lord."
His voice grew heavier. "When we exerted our combined pressure—you know how powerful it is, though negligible to the other masters—he simply looked at us.
And in that instant, we were all on the ground. The earth cracked for ten meters, as if struck by the full force of the Sukuna clan master's punch. You know how powerful that master was."
Again, the other eight nodded heavily.
For the first time, the middle-aged man's expression changed. A somber look overtook his face.
The Chūnin master added, "He also said that, as the first clan to be visited, we have the advantage of choosing our side. Because he came here to establish his rule."
He exhaled deeply. "And judging by his power, I assume that no one in the Land of Crystal can even touch the hem of his robe."
The expressions of the middle-aged man and the others turned ugly.
At that moment, a young man in his thirties scoffed. "Hmph! Otō-san, Master Miyagi must be under an illusion.
I don't believe anyone can be that powerful. I suggest contacting the other four clans and launching a siege on that fool!
How dare he come to our city and demand that the Five Clans surrender to him?"
He sneered. "So what if those bastards defected to his side? We have over ten thousand soldiers and a hundred masters!
I don't believe that if we combine the four clans over us, we can't defeat him."
The Chūnin master was thoroughly enraged.
"Shut up!" he roared. "Or I will not care that you are the city lord—I will kill you right here and now!"
A massive pressure erupted, suffocating the common people present. Only the Takahara Clan Lord remained unfazed.
The Chūnin master continued, his voice like a blade.
"Do you find this pressure hard to bear? Now imagine… that master made us feel like this with just a glance. Do you think you can defeat him?"
His tone sharpened. "Forty-six masters are already under his command. Do you really believe soldiers stand a chance against him when masters couldn't even stand before his presence?"
His glare pierced the young man.
"If he hears your words, our Takahara Clan will not live to see dawn."
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