Chapter 96: A vow worth Keeping (part 1)

In one of the outskirts training fields of Konohagakure, Homura and Uchiha Takao were planning on training like they always did.

Except this time, the training taking place was quite different from their usual training regiments.

Next to Homura, stood a large wooden contraption.

Perhaps contraption was a bit of an over-exaggeration.

It was closer to a large wooden structure.

Except for the several metal rods and gears all around and inside the structure.

The machine itself was about the height of the two boys' and had 6 holes seemingly designed to launch projectile out of them towards the top section of the structure.

As Homura tinkered with the wooden construct; six separate loading ramps extended from each of the holes.

A proud Homura then pointed them towards his younger friend.

- You ready? - He said while tapping on the machine with his right hand while leaning against it.

He was so proud of himself that he had a smile plastered onto his face.

-Are you sure this is safe?- asked a worried Takao. He seemed ready to run away at any moment.

It was definitely not the kind of ready Homura was looking for.

-What? You don't trust me? - asked a surprised Homura, who then quickly began to look more annoyed by Takao shaking his head in denial.

-No. Not at all.(Takao)

-Y-You d*mn stupid brat! How long are you going to keep doubting me!? Haven't I prouven myself to already?!

-I mean everything you've shown me so far was terrible! I almost lost my head last time!-said Takao, thinking about an incident that took place a week ago.(Takao)

Homura had not yet perfectly calibrated his invention, so there were clear misgivings.

It was mostly that Homura's math was simply off.

He knew his math was off but he guessed that a couple of decimals off... would be good enough, but it turned out to be far more detrimental than he had previously believed.

So he lied and said that the wind had affected his calculations; while patting himself in the back for coming up with such believable excuse in the fly.

-Stop exaggerating! Even a toddler could have avoided that projectile! You'd have to be blind to get hit!

-As if! It was like super dangerous! Even my awesome self was almost done in!(Takao)

-You little liar! You panicked as soon as you lost your footing and fell on the ground.

-Grrr....That's not how I remembered! I-It was too fast! Y-yeah that's right! I am fast but I need to see where I am being aimed at clearly! And now you've added 2 more projectiles! Are you trying to assassinate me!?(Takao)

- (Assassinate?...where did he learn that word?) *sigh* I keep telling you that it is perfectly safe! And it is much slower than before.

- T-then you try it!- pointed Takao at Homura.

- Listen! I need to be here in order to operate the machine, or are you telling me you know how to calibrate it?

- I mean...If I get serious, I can calibrate well enough. (I don't know what calibrate means, and he wants me to do it?! No way! But I can't let Itsuki know or he will make fun of me.)(Takao)

Takao looked at the pile of rods compiled together and other messy things sticking out of Homura's machine and even though Homura had tried to explain to him how it worked, but he understood none of it.

It wasn't long before his brain proceeded to just ignore everything coming from Homura's mouth.

Not that Homura realized anything was amiss.  He was just glad to share the secrets of his invention.

Or more likely he was happy from the fact that someone listened to him.

Even now he was oblivious to Takao's confusion.

- I-Is that so? (Oh sh*t! I can't let him test it on me, he may scratch my beautiful face or worse!) I mean it is still better if I show it to you at least one time. B-Besides, my ingenious brain built it, how can it be anything but safe. Also only I know how to use it better because I created this bad boy from scratch, you wouldn't understand all its complexity.*nod* *nod*

Homura closed his eyes and started to nod in agreement to his arguments, as if he had even managed to convince himself even though it was complete nonsense.

He knew that all too well that to fire the machine he created, he just needed to use two  lever.

Pull them, to be precise.

The other levers and other things sticking out of his machine were useless and mistakes that he was too lazy to repair.

- ...If you're so smart why didn't you put something to allow you to fire it from a distance, huh? So you can just try it later! Why is it always me though?!!!(Takao)

- (smart kid, I could use a rope too...but) Sh*t up! And be a man already! I'm going to fire it now! 3,2,1!

-Huh!? N-no! Itsuki, wait!!!!!(Takao)

From the 3 loading ramps pointed towards takao; came out three projectiles.

- Huh? What the...

However, instead of being shot at fast speeds; they came out with little momentum and soon dropped on the floor due to the lack of kinetic force.

*Clink*

A noise soon came out of the machine.

As if signaling that a problem had just occurred and it was not working as intended.

-Haa!? Hm?! No! My calculations were perfect!

  Homura soon became aware that something had gone terribly wrong as he heard the large metal sounding noise coming out from the object next to him.

He soon kneeled next to the now broken apparel and started inspecting it very carefully.

-...hm I see. *nod*  Yes, yes, this makes sense.

All of this occurred in front of and to the dismay of Takao, who almost had a heart attack from being fired on by Homura without any real warning.

Only to realize that the projectiles in question were not even half-way from his current location.

And now Homura was nodding like a madman and talking to himself while "fixing" his invention.

-S-stop pretending that you know what went wrong and just admit that you're just a bad builder; and nowhere near as smart as you say you are!- He said pointing towards Homura with a face full of rage.

-D*mn you! Y-you cheeky little b*stard. Shuriken throw! Shuriken throw!

Out of nowhere homura bragged several shuriken from his tool pouch and started throw them towards Takao with furry in his eyes.

- Kuh! Stop! I-Itsuki! Y-you crazy b*stard- said Takao as he barely managed to avoid wooden shuriken thrown by Homura.

Of course, if Homura was truly serious Takao had no way to dodge so many shuriken Homura had thrown at him without getting hit a single time.

Right now he was simply venting his anger.

However Homura soon stopped after Takao managed to avoid over all 12 shuriken Homura had thrown his way.

Though he wasn't exactly surprised by Takao avoided them all, he did although aimed to hurt him slightly.

He was aiming for harmless parts such as his shoulders, knees and other inconsequential parts; but Takao's hazardous movements were still able to avoid any projectiles thrown at him.

Movements, that any onlookers who had no idea of how hard it was to avoid projectiles would claim them to be amateurish.

Since they lack any semblance of gracefulness and skill, but the fact that he still managed to avoid all the projectiles thrown at him, was a clear indication that even if he panicked; he had trained hard enough to be able to move his body well enough even if he panicked.

Which was only possible for someone who had undergone a lot of training.

A year ago, that would have been impossible for Takao to dodge, but seeing that he could easily do it now, was enough confirmation of the boy's dedication and hard work.

Something that Homura acknowledge deeply.

The boy next to him wasn't very talented or had a cheat skill that allowed himself to perform better than his natural abilities would allow.

And for that alone, Homura was proud.

Without realizing he felt himself feel proud of his pupil and younger brother figure.

That the young boy he managed to train all this time had made clear progress over the time they spent training together.

Although he was less happy that he had now a foul mouth and complained a lot.

Still, after the several emotions that had hit Homura, it was enough to make him calm down.

Plus, he was out of wooden shuriken.

So he had no other choice but to calm down.

-*sigh* My calculations and crafting abilities are perfect... I just didn't dry the logs enough!

-..Sure! Ok! Ok! I get it! J-just don't throw more shuriken my way!(I can't beat Itsuki in a shuriken battle he somehow always hits me on the back of the head)(Takao)

Child endangerment and questionable child on child violence aside... What Homura said was true.

He had failed to dry the logs properly.

If the logs are not properly moisturized, then they are less sturdy.

That's why as Homura used the lever to launch Shuriken at Takao, the movement and weight of the process Homura's creation was simply too much to handle.

The kinetic energy and friction caused by the chain reaction of several gears and other objects inside the apparel simply became too much for some of the pieces inside.

-...hmph! Glad you understand for once.(That's what I get for using wood, instead of metal...a useless piece of junk...I lost so much money in the process *sigh* at least I can repair it this time easily enough)

While Homura was complaining inside his head on how to fix the apparel next to him, Takao began to look around the stuff Homura had brought with him this time around.

And he quickly glanced at something that caught his attention.

-What is that?(Takao)

Takao pointed at something bulging from inside Homura's bag.

It was quite ominous since something resembling a hand was sticking out of the previously said bag.