Chapter 177: Ninja I.D.

The sunlight peeks through the curtains, illuminating Homura's small but tidy apartment. Though Homura had been ruddily woken up prior to that and threatened with violence, though he had better things to do than think about the past.

Homura steps into the bathroom, turning on the shower. The sound of running water fills the room as he reflects on the upcoming events.

HOMURA (V.O.) Another day in my sh*tty life. Wonder what terrible surprises this one holds.

After the shower, Homura stands in front of the mirror, a towel wrapped around his waist. He scrutinizes his reflection, debating on his choice of outfit for the day.

HOMURA (V.O.) I haven't grown much, though maybe I should cut my hair shorter now…make me look more mature.

Homura had cut his hair due to being inspired by a character he faced inside the STORM system, because they shared similar type of fighting styles.

Move fast and hit even faster, that was his moto.

But the true reason as to why he copied the character's appearance was due to his good looks but also because they shared more or less similar pasts and a name. 

HOMURA Maybe the usual attire is fine.

He dons his customary ninja outfit, the weight of the fabric familiar against his skin. His gaze falls on the array of weapons and tools neatly organized in his pouch.

HOMURA (V.O.) Preparedness is key in our line of work.

Homura's outfit consisted of black and white outfit and a blue jacket coupled with the same colored gloves. He had a dark turtleneck shirt and pants, covered by a white tunic with black linings, blue sandals, and gloves that matched his short blue jacket.

He then followed by adding leather straps, containing ninja tools around both legs, before proceeding to take them off.

HOMURA: Why the hell am I adding those? I am not fighting anyone today…must be due to force of habit.

Delighted to not have training or work, he threw his 2 tool bags with the ninja tools on the living room table and went to the kitchen.

HOMURA: *munch* *much* I can't believe that old lady's *munch* rice balls are so good *Munch* and it's cheap too.

As Homura started to wolf down the leftover food he had for dinner, he was in a world of bliss.

In the past he didn't care too much about food, because it was all food he deemed cheap and full of vegetables, but lately as soon as he put something in his mouth that he enjoyed he couldn't stop himself from eating.

Not too long the few rice balls left all disappeared as Homura ate them with a happy look on his face, he felt full of energy the more he ate which was an addicting feeling.

Sadly, Homura could be considered broke.

Thus breakfast was ultimately nothing fancy, it consisted of 4 onigiri, consumed with a hunger acquired from a night's sleep. Nonetheless, it was one of the happiest moments in h

The morning rituals continued with the retrieval of his trusty tool pouch and teeth-brushing.

Unlike his ninja tool pouch, his regular tool pouch was less heavy and was overall more useful for Homura since he was used to do some repair odd jobs with Shinji, which he had now planned to meet with Shinji later to make some extra money, since there was always something to repair and mechanical pieces he could get for free.

Homura: Take a new picture and then go to the office…then go Shinji and maybe ask for more flexible hours to work in the future….that sounds like a plan, I guess. (How am I going to convince him of that and not get a huge pay cut…but I can't exactly refuse missions as a genin…) *sigh*

With breakfast done, as he brushes his teeth, he could not avoid the glare of his own reflection staring back at him.

Homura looked at his own reflection in the mirror, though he considered himself to be quite handsome; he could never really shake off the feeling of unease. Especially as he aged and his features started to resemble a certain someone.

Uncomfortable, those were the type of word he could use to describe the myriad of feelings feelings that would soon surface as he saw his reflection, before most of it being immediately brushed off.

Not that it would matter, as he soon exited the bathroom.

HOMURA:?!

Homura glances at the desk, spotting a folder containing his application papers and an ID picture.

HOMURA (V.O.) This picture is the one from last year…I guess-no! It won't cut it…I don't even look cool on that one…and even less intimidating.

He wonders if he could submit the picture on the table though, he knows it would not fly, since it had to be from a particular place so that they could use the negatives as well.

HOMURA (V.O.) Guess I can't escape paperwork even as a genin. Being a ninja is so much paperwork….?!

He examines the ID picture, his expression turning a bit...displeased.

HOMURA A bit bored, a hint of a baby face... not exactly my most intimidating look. I need to be feared by my enemies…and if it is a beautiful lady, enamored….yeah this won't fly. Yeah.

Homura nodded several times, as if trying to convince himself before deciding to leave his apartment.

Fully equipped, he considered grabbing some money for the week's ingredients after completing his forms. Wallet and bag in hand, he left his apartment, stepping into the vibrant streets of Konoha. The village bustled with activity - children at play, men enjoying drinks, shop owners tending to their businesses, and mothers engaged in shopping. Despite his usual indifference, Homura couldn't deny the charm Konoha held, appreciating his luck to be born in such a place.

HOMURA (V.O.) This village… is always such a busy place.

As he walks, he takes in the sights - children playing, vendors setting up shop, the rhythmic pulse of daily life in Konoha.

It was a scenery that he had experienced many times over though he couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the village that he lived throughout his life.

If it wasn't for all the baggage attached to the village it would be a good place to grow, but the reality was that the village was pretty much an enclosed fortress.

People were forced to go through the same routine all the time and all over again, but Homura was semi-glad that he would be soon allowed to step outside, inside the real world.

As he continued walking it wasn't long until he found the photographer's place and after spending half an hour on some shenanigans he was back with a new picture and walking towards the Hokage's office building; with a semi satisfactorily look on his face.

He ascends the steps, the air charged with a sense of purpose, though that was just hopeful thinking but it was rather mundane.

More like people were coming and leaving with various kinds of purposes all the way through his journey inside.

Some were clearly, ninjas, some locals, and some that could only be considered to be quite wealthy. It was easy to tell usually how wealthy someone was, the clothes they wore were certainly a cut above the average villager.

Homura was unsure where exactly rich people bought or ordered their clothes from since they were clearly not easy to find.

As a ninja, rather, as a shallow and slightly money-hungry person, he could not wait to get closer to making some real money. He could not wait till the day he was able to buy everything he wanted, from better quality spare parts to the best meals and comfort one could obtain.

HOMURA (V.O.)So many walking wallets…I guess being a shinobi won't be so bad, plus maybe I will get to steal from bandits t-!… No, I'll get in trouble if I do that. *sigh* Why are there so many rules to being basically a hired bodyguard/spy?

The previously cheery attitude he had on his face disappeared.

As he realized the fact that making money as a shinobi wouldn't be as easy as he thought, Konoha shinobi were certainly not saints, but they were definitely less likely to steal from bandits and accept bribes, in fact he could already see them having to return any money they found or give it to the village.

The chances that his jonin sensei was someone of a dubious compass as Homura, or even someone who only cares about themselves as Mizuki was close to none.

Shinobi like them rarely advance to higher ranks, they are not trusted.

Though if they were strong that would be another matter, but even then they would not be trusted and their missions would be more akin to perilous spy work or facing incredible odds.

For someone as "smart" as Homura, it was something that he didn't see coming. But more likely it was because he didn't exactly take most teachings and rules from the academy to heart. Instead, he only internalized what was useful or corresponding to his personality.

Since teams of genins and their sensei were a four-man squad that meant less profit, and if most genin-assigned missions were low-ranked, the money made from them was utterly atrocious.

The math inside Homura's head was not pretty.

Sadly, he had to find another time to think of a proper income plan since he was about to reach his destination.

Reaching the designated room, he knocks, and upon permission, he enters.

INT. HOKAGE'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

HOMURA Homura reporting for the application of active duty as a genin.

[Hokage greets him warmly.]

HOKAGE Ah, if it isn't Homura! How have you been lately? You may sit.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Homura replied, bowing slightly before settling into the chair. Across from him sat a man, less aged than the Hokage, who seemed deeply engrossed in official documents.

As Homura handed over a file containing his application and documents, the Hokage's gaze fixed on him with a certain seriousness. There was a moment of silence that hung in the air.

The official, looking up from the file, observed, "You're missing your forehead protector, Homura."

The room was quiet for a moment. The Hokage's gaze intensified, his expectation clear. Homura, feeling a weight on his shoulders, hesitated.

"Oh, that. I, uh, forgot it," Homura mumbled, looking away briefly.

The Hokage sighed, his expression shifting from stern to disappointed. "Homura, a shinobi should always wear their forehead protector. It's a symbol of our unity and commitment to the village. In fact, It was because we l-"

Homura nodded in understanding, realizing that the hokage was preparing himself to give one of his infamous speeches, Homura, immediately thought of cutting the head of his village, before it was too late and get what was pretty much torture. "I apologize, Hokage-sama. I'll make sure to wear it from now on."

"I-is that so? I see. Very well. Let's proceed with your application." it was what the Hokage said, as he wasn't expecting to be cut off so abruptly. Besides Naruto, and his grandson; almost no one would dare to cut off the legendary hokage that was Hiruzen Sarutobi.

HOMURA(monologuing): "What's with this guy and long ass speeches? Why is everyone mildly related to Naruto so weird? I blame him for all those weirdos also infringing on my life, I didn't even want to meet the hokage, because of that I am sure that I'm on some sort of list, and this guy is far more dangerous than I thought he was…I can't even tell if he has an opening or not."

Homura looked at the hokage reviewing his files and thanks to C running high-alert scenarios, he can't believe how strong the seemingly feeble geezer was.

HOMURA(monologuing): " I think that now that I've seen that, a morbid curious feeling inside me is edging me to test my luck and try to attack him, but I am not crazy, nor do I want to get into fights that I know that I can't win"

Though Homura had met several people that could be considered strong, at the time he didn't really understand the idea of strength gap nor did he fully understand this strange concept that was almost like an alien feeling or a sixth sense, but he had no doubt that the hokage was the strongest person he had ever met.

As soon as he imagined attacking the 3rd hokage to test his might, he felt no hope.

Saruto Hiruzen, his small stature betrayed the monster hidden beneath.

HOMURA (monologuing): If C says he's that strong my backup plan that I wanted to test out won't be possible anytime soon. Argh, another failure. Great.

After going through several tidbits of strategies on how to get stronger.

Homura discovered that the hokage had hidden a forbidden jutsu on a key location of the village, he had no way of knowing if the information was true since it came from a dubious side material that did not contradict the canonical story but it was likely untrue, though that did not mean that the jutsu itself was fictitious.

In a ninja village, the hiding of powerful jutsus was certainly within the realm of possibilities, but there was no way he is going to try anything now.

He's best chance to retrieve it would be before the chunin exams when security would be stretched thin, or after. Because there's no way he's getting his hands on a powerful jutsu of that caliber while Hiruzen held power over the village.

Though Homura would have another surprise as Hiruzen reached the page with Homura's ID photograph, a furrow appeared on his brow, and he glanced at Homura with a mix of surprise and confusion.

"huh?... What is this?" the Hokage remarked, holding up the photograph towards Homura.

Not only it didn't truly resemble Homura, but what Homura could one day look like…on a terrible day.

The man in the picture seemed like a seasoned warrior close to death, bearing a star-shaped scar and clad in a damaged battle-worn armor but he also had blood and scars all over his body and 4 swords that seemed to be perturbing out of his back and chest.

It was an odd picture to try to submit as an ID picture.

And it was an even odder picture to take, though, Homura sensibilities were on a spectrum.

Homura leaned forward, ready to offer an explanation. "I know! Cool, right? I mean I look badass! I mean, I intentionally chose an image that instills fear and reassures clients, this way even if they think I am a genin, nobody will ever think that weak or an easy target! "

Homura said it with a proud look on his face as he explained his motives.

The Hokage studied Homura for a moment, his eyes reflecting the weight of his years of experience. Hiruzen: " More like misrepresentation than strategy. Besides, who would think you're alive, after taking such a nonsensical picture, *sigh* take it again. "

The hokage declared with a strained look as if he was beginning to develop a headache.

Homura: W-what but I?

HIRUZEN: Homura!…

Homura: ?!

With the hokage slightly raising his voice Homura calmed down.

HIRUZEN: The application files are just a formality and to keep a documentation of every leaf shinobi, there's obviously no way that it would be given to any potential clients. (Unless it is necessary, we don't give the personal files of leaf shinobi to clients, though if I say that I am sure he will just complain even more or take another ridiculous picture. To think the only academy student with a perfect score on every written test, would be thinking of something so moronic… he's Naruto's friend alright. )

Homura having heard the hokage's explanation was having doubts about the truthfulness of the elderly person in front of him, not that he ever truly believed anyone.

HOMURA: Hm…(Is that really how it worked, I am pretty sure that at least the anbu can have access to most of anyone's personal files and records, besides that place isn't even that well regarded. I…I don't think that there's any place very well guarded inside the village now that I think about it. )

HIRUZEN: "Anyway, come back with another picture since there's still time."

Hiruzen closed Homura's folder with the application and several other documents inside.

HIRUZEN: "Also, take it while also wearing your head protector."

A dejected Homura was leaving until he was reminded what to do next, it didn't seem he had much of a choice.

HOMURA: "Y-yeah…fine. (I think it's at the academy, I forgot to take it with me-)"

After Homura left the hokage took the time to smoke his pipe.

HIRUZEN (monologuing): "If our resident genius couldn't even take a proper picture, I wonder how this year's last ranked student will fare?.. "

Remembering Naruto, who reminded him of his former student Jiraiya, he could only feel slightly relieved that Naruto was not a pervert; though he was certainly more stubborn.