Nakahara Clan

The Nakahara clan was a high-status family settling outside of Kirigakure that has dissolved after the constant persecution of Kekkei Genkai users in the area. The clan was known for several legends surrounding Shigematsu’s Claw. The clan had a long story of tradition of women, although not disrespected, to be kept out of warfare and taught the house holding and being a good wife instead.

 

Kekkei Genkai
Irezumi (“tattoo” in Japanese) is the Nakahara Kekkei Genkai. The members who are born with a symbol representing their inner spirit (usually a kanji for an animal) are inherited with the Kekkei Genkai. Because the Nakahara clan always chose to marry with those who had no Kekkei Genkai to keep the clan ‘pure’, it was a 50/50 chance for the child to be born with the Irezumi. The users are able to, using a special technique, embed certain summoning jutsu in their skin with the ink. This is what often made the Nakahara clansmen very unpredictable, as a simple looking beggar could have a tiger summoned within seconds without a scroll or use of anything but chakra. Depending on the user’s level with the Irezumi, one’s abilities to successfully embed a jutsu and to summon them varied greatly. It is not rare to see the Nakahara clansmen with ‘empty Irezumis’ (Irezumi embedding that has failed, leaving only a tattoo on the skin without any properties) embedded on their skins. The summoning techniques also vary depending on the user’s nature. For example, if one has been born with a turtle, an animal that is defensive as it can hide in its shell, like (MAYUMI’S BROTHER) then the person is more skilled in defence and will be able to summon things such a shielding and defence jutsu. (MAYUMI’S OTHER BROTHER) who has been born with a wolf kanji, is a natural tracker/hunter and can easily summon himself assistance for such tasks. Mayumi, being born with the sign of monkey, is a good thief and a very aggressive type of person. She can summon things to help her with agility and speed.

Shigematsu’s Claw

The sword has been made by Kaitsu, one of the seven sons of the founder of the Nakahara clan. A legend said that a powerful dragon named Shigematsu lived in the mountains near the shores of the Water Land for thousands of years. Kaitsu was said to be often teased by his brothers for being thin and gentle. Wanting to prove himself, Kaitsu ran away. After remaining missing for 10 years, he returned one day bringing back a blade. Without a single word since his return, he has died 2 hours later. It was believes that Kaitsu has defeated the dragon and created the sword from its body. To honour Kaitsu, his brothers broke the sword into seven pieces and took them away on their travels, with the parts eventually ending up missing or stolen. Soon after the blade became nothing but a mere legend, until the last head of clan spotted a part of a blade with the Nakahara clan’s symbol on it in the black market managed  by Gazo (Zabuza arch). He has immediately notified the clan elders who decided to keep the discovery a secret; however the rumour spread fast after the clan began falling apart.

The actual power of the blade is not known; the legend has it that Shigematsu’s soul is with anyone who master’s the sword and will serve them in any way commanded. It was also believed that no one whose soul isn’t as pure as Kirigakure’s snow will ever be able to use the sword at its fullest power. Whether this was true or not has never been discovered because of Mayumi herself not being able to use it to the full, and as nothing more but as a simple sword.

The built of the sword was extremely impressive once discovered and rebuilt, and soon it was believed that indeed the blade must have been created from some sort of dragon-like creature, if not the actual Shigematsu himself. The handle is made from the beast’s tooth, the blade itself from the index right claw; the chains were made from its single hair. The covering of the handle is made from the skin of its tail.

Third Shinobi War

The civil war has majorly destroyed the clan which fell apart soon after, with their shinobi leaving the clan to avoid prejudice for the things the clan did during the war. The last head of the clan was executed by the clan for treason after he tried to associate himself with criminal groups from other lands for personal protection. Many of the remaining members such as his sons have became rouges or involved themselves in criminal groups soon after. The elders soon began hearing that many of the former clansmen are searching for Shigematsu’s Claw. Knowing of the damage and powers the weapon could deal, they have immediately began to make plans of retrieving it before the other men do. They came to a conclusion that the usage of the last child in the clan, Mayumi Nakahara, will be necessary. Although many of the elders objected the idea because of Mayumi’s gender, it has still been eventually enforced onto the group.

After Shigematsu’s Claw Discover

When the family members began looking for the Claw, many of them regrouped and began building new clans or trying to rebuild the Nakahara line. Sometime after Mayumi has managed to retrieve the sword, many of the clansmen who were searching for it came to her begging for her to give it back, or to come back to the clan with them. Mayumi has refused, reasoning herself with the selfishness of the clan throughout the years and the idea of how much they were rejecting her earlier on. Seeing what the blade has done to the clan, with clansmen butchering each other just to retrieve it and the fact that most likely Shigematsu would refuse to serve “…such impure souls”, Mayumi told the clan that she will not give the sword up. Believing that she was being driven by nothing but pure revenge, the clan left Mayumi alone. Defeated, they retreated for a major period of time, however swearing that their sons will get it back from her one day.