"Lord Shikaku, I'm Garou Zenin. I apologize for coming unannounced without a formal letter."
Garou bowed politely.
Shikaku waved it off with a friendly smile. "Think nothing of it. I actually wanted to invite you over sooner, but you were recovering at the hospital, and with all the bustle, I didn't want to impose. I'm glad you came."
"Sorry for the trouble."
After a few pleasantries, Garou was welcomed into the courtyard.
"Good afternoon, I'm Shikamaru Nara."
Shikamaru looked as unbothered as ever, offering a lazy greeting. There wasn't a hint of hostility despite their previous awkward encounter.
"Shikamaru," Shikaku said with a light chuckle, "you probably don't know, but the chakra thread technique Garou demonstrated recently has already been submitted to the village and is now being tested among chunin squads."
At that, Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. Then it clicked. He remembered the way he had been puppeteered like a marionette.
If they could be controlled so easily, standard ninja tools would be child's play. This wasn't about tool control. No, this was a stepping stone to puppetry techniques.
"Just a simple C-rank technique," Garou said calmly.
Shikaku shook his head with a faint smile. "Plenty of high-level jutsu have been invented. Few are ever truly mastered. Take the Rasengan, for example. Minato came up with it, but how many have actually learned to use it properly?"
Shikamaru remained quiet, but his interest sharpened. He wanted to hear Garou's reply.
"True," Garou nodded. "But chakra threads alone aren't enough. One person's ability is limited. If we want Konoha to thrive, we need to build on each other's work."
Shikaku smiled approvingly. He asked a few more questions and then got to the point. "I heard you've been studying muscle function, anatomy, and pharmacology. Are you looking to buy rare ingredients or research texts?"
Garou scratched his head. "To be honest, I heard that the Nara Clan were the original pioneers of medicinal knowledge. I have a half-finished formula I need advice on."
He then explained his theory and the herbs he'd been experimenting with.
Shikaku narrowed his eyes in thought, then smiled. "This formula could benefit all ninja, especially the Akimichi Clan. They've got a secret medicine related to enhancing physical strength."
Garou's ears perked up.
That was clearly a hint. Shikaku was telling him that the Akimichi were more experienced in this field. But Garou had no ties to them. Unlike with the Nara Clan, he had no leverage or connection. Asking for their secrets would be a long shot.
"You were open with me because you trust my character," Shikaku said. "So let me try to contact the Akimichi. If they agree, we can work on this together. If not, our two clans can still cooperate."
He looked Garou in the eye. "We'll have to split any benefits, of course. But the payoff could be worth it. Think it over."
"That would be amazing! Thank you so much!"
Garou accepted immediately.
Shikaku was worried Garou might be protective of his gains, but truthfully, all Garou cared about was recognition.
Shikaku smiled, then chatted with him for a while longer. As the scent of food drifted from inside the house, Garou took the hint and excused himself.
Shikaku watched the boy leave and sighed.
"Regretting that he can't use genjutsu or ninjutsu?" Shikamaru asked, having quietly observed everything.
Shikaku shot him a glance and muttered, "With a brain like that at his age, what's there to regret?"
Then, in a sharper tone, "I just wish he was my son."
No names were mentioned, but the shade was undeniable.
Shikamaru mentally rolled his eyes. 'Damn.'
Shikaku continued, "Listen, kid. The world's full of clever people. But if you slack off now, you'll regret it later. C'mon, enough talk. Let's eat."
---
'Akimichi Clan… Right, how could I forget them?' Garou mused as he jogged away.
Their Three-Colored Pills, paired with their unique physique, made them incredibly powerful. Even if he couldn't get the full recipe, learning part of it would allow him to develop drugs that stimulated muscle growth, stamina, or chakra output.
Yes, these drugs often had side effects, reduced lifespan, weakened foundations, but when your life was on the line, that was a trade worth making.
'If I can get in touch with the Akimichi, that's two formulas right there.'
He hadn't expected this visit to pay off so well.
Garou was smiling as he jogged down the road until he sensed someone sprinting up behind him.
'Lee?'
He slowed.
"Garou! Wait up!"
"You just got out of class?"
"Yeah. Ugh, Tenten and the others have been studying like crazy. I tried, but I just can't get the hang of it… So I gave up and went back to training."
Lee sighed, frustration all over his face.
Garou chuckled, then spoke seriously, "Why compare yourself to them? I graduated early because I had to."
"You're still going to be training every day, school or not. Overworking won't help if you don't rest and keep pushing too hard and you might injure yourself."
"Really?"
"Guy-sensei didn't smack you?"
"…He did."
Lee was too honest and kind.
Not the sharpest tool in the shed, but the kid soaked up the mood around him like a sponge. Now that both Garou and Guy had said the same thing, he was starting to believe it.
"AWOOOO! Training with you fills me with passion again, Garou! Let's duel! Five hundred laps, whoever collapses first loses! Then one hundred laps on our hands!"
"…Hmph."
Garou didn't even reply. He just picked up the pace.
"Hey, wait up!"
"Oh yeah, where's Guy-sensei?"
Lee replied, "Probably out on a mission."
"Perfect. Actually, I could use your help with something. I'm running some experiments. Want in?"
"Me?!"
Lee looked shocked, his bushy brows bouncing. Clearly touched.
Truthfully, Garou would've preferred Guy.
The stronger the taijutsu user, the more precise their control over muscles and that would help Garou refine his theories. But Lee would do fine for practical testing.
He could throw a punch perfectly, but ask him to explain how to channel chakra through it? Forget it.
Sure enough.
One hour later, Lee looked completely dazed. The more Garou explained, the less he understood.
"Forget it. Just do what I showed you. Try it both ways and tell me which feels stronger."
Garou threw a punch.
CRACK!
The massive tree beside them split down the center with a loud, splintering noise.
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