Chapter 129: An unexpected surprise.

A few weeks passed since Homura had helped with Naruto's training, and surprisingly Naruto had managed to perform the transformation correctly it took a lot of tries, but the fact that Naruto managed to get so much better so quickly was without a doubt quite the feat.

He even managed to copy the voice of the student he managed to copy, which was oddly enough Kiba.

Homura can't say that it was not a bad move, the better one knows or is familiarized with a person/object, the easier it is to remember their characteristics.

Naruto and Kiba argue so much or at least get on each other's never almost every day that it is hard to believe that they even talk to each other, much less compete against each other so often.

To Homura, Kiba and Naruto act more like rivals than Naruto and Sasuke.

Since Sasuke just refuses to acknowledge Naruto most of the time and keeps telling Naruto to not associate with him; which seems to only fuel Naruto's one-sided rivalry.

Sasuke may be prideful, but Naruto is just as much, and on top of that he never gives up which to most made Naruto more of an annoyance rather than an endearing fellow.

If Homura was not aware of Naruto's future and life situation, he would have never accepted to associate with the boy.

A prideful loud-mouthed brat, who seems to always fail or take longer to achieve the same results as others…gets into trouble all the time for seemingly no reason…it was all too much for Homura to bare.

He understands why others seem to take their distance from him at times, and some like Hinata, who are able to understand him beyond the strong front he puts on seem to be infatuated with him and his drive to succeed.

Some of it was also true for Homura, when he went to class and it was time to perform the transformation jutsu, Homura was 70 percent that Naruto would fail.

But to his surprise, the boy seemed to have taken his advice and chosen a person he was quite familiar with and it became easier for him to not lose focus, not only that but it was clear that even after they parted ways he went on to train further.

Though Homura as prideful as he was, tried to feign that it was nothing.

They had learned to transform into people around the same size and shape as themselves, that was the easy part.

Soon they would have to transform into larger individuals or objects.

That was the true challenge, because mimicking size, weight, and other types of matters were much harder than just turning into one of their classmates.

It was not as easy as the one transformation they pulled off.

They had been training the transformation jutsu for almost 2 years now, some students had no problem transforming into adults and other things even.

However, students were not expected to completely master a jutsu until it was time to move to a more advanced application of the jutsu.

Since one thing is knowing of a jutsu, performing a jutsu, and even having enough chakra to perform a jutsu.

Without enough chakra, certain jutsus cannot be performed. So it was not uncommon for an academy student to not be able to perform a certain specific jutsu because of one of those reasons.

Nevertheless, at some point, all cadets are supposed to perform the jutsu taught to them to some adequate standard.

At least that is how it went for most.

For Homura, he had more pressing issues.

He had obtained Haruno Sakura's and Akimichi Choji's DNA strands, though he never tried to implement their DNA inside his bloodstream.

He had some doubts.

This was the first time he had to inject blood from anyone outside the Uchiha clan.

He was quite nervous about that fact.

It wouldn't be as easy as injecting the blood of people with how he shared closed ancestry.

Though Homura was capable of injecting the blood and tissues of anyone without rejection, he himself did not know how much his physiology would change overall.

So he had to learn and acquire more knowledge.

Make some tests on a few different DNA strands but for that to go without a hitch, he would need to get more familiarized with books with information about medicine and overall genetics.

Thus, after obtaining asked his main teacher for a pass to access some of the information available at the public Konogakure library, he immediately went there and checked himself in as early as possible for him to maximize the available time he would be granted.

As Homura sifted through the vast collection of books and scrolls, his mind raced with thoughts and possibilities. The information he had acquired so far was both enlightening and perplexing. He couldn't shake off the feeling that there was a deeper significance to the scattered clues he had uncovered.

Staring at the map of Konohagakure from two decades ago, Homura's frustration grew. The redacted areas and lack of detail left him questioning the motives behind such omissions. Why would certain parts of the village's history be shrouded in secrecy? He longed to uncover the truth and understand the significance of the hidden locations, like the first Uchiha compound. Uchiha Akane's stories echoed in his mind, adding a layer of intrigue and curiosity to his quest.

Turning his attention to an older map, Homura's eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled upon a revelation. The area he had been searching for, the place where the Senju lived, seemed to have vanished from the current landscape. All that remained were scattered Senju residences, inaccessible to the public. The discovery heightened his interest in finding Moegi, the girl rumored to possess wood release. Could she hold the key to the hidden legacy of the Senju clan?

Yet, Homura couldn't ignore the challenges that lay ahead. Moegi was still a young child, making her whereabouts uncertain. Konohagakure's vastness and the scarcity of his free time posed a significant obstacle to his search. He pondered the complexities of balancing his responsibilities at the academy and work, knowing that time was not on his side.

Hours passed and beyond some vague knowledge, and adding more pages into his own personal library by C recording each and every page he happened to let his eyes land on.

To the onlookers, Homura seemed like a madman, taking more and more books after not even 5 minutes passed by.

Fortunately for him, there was only a single person on the floor he was granted access to that would be interested in his mishaps, a young clerk with light brown hair tied up in a bun, with a thick pair of glasses that made her expression impossible to discern.

However, she did not see or hear most of the time, and the others on the same floor were a few genins that were minding their business as well, seemingly preoccupied with other things.

Though some of the genins could be easily mistaken for normal people or higher-ranked ninjas since they looked much older than the average genin seen on the show.

However the fact they were wearing the Konoha shinobi headband on various parts of their bodies, and on this section of the library could only give them credence that they were genins.

Homura sat in the library section of Konohagakure, armed with the special pass that granted him access to genin-level information. As a cadet, he was restricted from the wealth of knowledge available to chunin and jonin ranks, but he appreciated that the information he did receive was far from the incomplete mess accessible to civilians.

Nonetheless, it was more than enough information for Homura. At least more crucial information that he was able to get at the academy library since they lacked many things that had nothing to do with the topics studied at the academy.

However, his limited time within the library posed a challenge. With only a few hours at his disposal and unable to take the materials home, Homura found himself surrounded by a towering stack of books and scrolls on his table. The subjects ranged from ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu to medical knowledge and detailed maps of the village.

Now, he was stuck examining a map of the village from two decades ago, Homura couldn't help but express his frustration at its lack of detail and the numerous redacted areas.

So much so that he thought that perhaps he needed more help or to be enlightened on a few points.

Clerk: "Yes. What can I do to help you? "

Homura had gotten close to the desk of the clerk in charge of this section of the library in the vain hopes of getting answers to his misgivings.

Homura: "Right, Uhm…It's just that there's so much information here, I was wondering if I…"

Clerk: "I'm sorry, but we can't allow books in the area you are to be borrowed. Our policies are in place to ensure fair access to all users. Is there anything specific you're looking for? Maybe I can help you find it quickly."

Homura's eyes scanned the table, filled with an assortment of subjects ranging from ninjutsu to medical knowledge. He ignored it, and instead showed her the map of Konohagakure from 20 years ago that he had picked it up, frustration evident on his face.

Homura: " No. Not that, I was hoping to find more detailed maps, ones that aren't so heavily redacted. These missing areas...they make me wonder why they're hidden."

Clerk: "Ah, the mysteries of the past. Unfortunately, some information is restricted for security or privacy reasons. It can be frustrating, I know."

Homura: "But what could be so significant about these hidden locations? Like this compound. I've only heard stories about it, but it's intriguing."

Clerk: "Stories can hold fragments of truth. Sometimes they reveal more than official records. Perhaps there's more to discover about this compound."

Homura's mind drifted to Uchiha Akane and her garden. Her repetitive stories had sparked his interest, planting seeds of curiosity within him.

He knew very well that this map showed the Uchiha compound before they were forced to move, about a few days before Homura's birth.

It wasn't even ten years ago, but the map was of 20 years ago and it was already redacted?

Not even a mention on the map of which clan that area used belonged to.

Something was definitely shady.

Curiosity piqued, Homura shuffled through the books and scrolls, hoping to uncover more clues. His eyes then fell upon another map, this one almost forty years old, and a mixture of surprise and intrigue washed over him.

Homura: "Look at this! From what I know this used to be part of the Senju clan...I read a book that says they used to live in this area of the village. But now, they're nowhere to be found."

Clerk: "Times change, and clans rise and fall. It's a part of our village's history. Not every clan will remain in the same area for over 20 decades or more. I am not really sure about the exact details, but usually, as fewer people leave their ancestral land it can either be left abandoned or be reused for something else. But who knows what secrets lie behind those vanished residences."

Homura: "(Weirdo…) I-indeed. "

Clerk: "Hm…I know that in the west wing, there are older documents about the village, perhaps they have maps that detail the earlier state of the village, but the documents should be older than 30 years ago, it's likely to be quite different from the current form of the village."

Homura: "I see…thanks."

Clerk: "You're welcome."

Homura then left the clerk's side and went to the west wing digging through all the documents that were essential to him.

Mostly blueprints of the village.

He had other plans besides finding out where the child called Moegi might live.

Orochimaru was going to invade the village in a few years, it may seem far away but it was nonetheless a threat that was looming on his head.

Not just people from the sand and sound village would attack but giant snakes would be summoned, a recreation of C inside Homura's head; showed that it was the same as facing a kaiju monster.

Surviving those monsters may not be possible in direct combat, so Homura tried as hard as he could to learn genjutsu since it seemed that animals, especially snakes were not specifically resistant to genjutsu.

At least a much older and more powerful Sasuke was able to put one under genjutsu with a fully evolved sharingan.

So Homura if he wanted to survive evolving his Sharingan to complete maturity was a must.

Plus, if Homura wanted to use the invasion to his advantage, a way to evolve the sharingan faster was definitely a way to do it with normal people by using a sharingan genjutsu, then stabbing or knocking out people or enemies.

It was not something he wished to do but he would do anything he needed to survive and help those he cared about to survive.

Those were the thoughts that were plaguing Homura as he was looking for information on the village.

Homura's curiosity led him to another map, this time dating back almost forty years.

However, something unexpected happened as Homura was checking a map he found that was about 40 years old, the village looked much more different and smaller.

To his astonishment, this map revealed fewer redactions. His eyes scanned the document, and then one piece of information caught him completely off guard—the area where the Senju clan once resided. Instead of finding the presence of the Senju as a unified clan, he discovered only scattered Senju residences spread across the village. Either abandoned or inaccessible to the public, these remnants of the Senju left Homura with more questions than answers. His search for the truth revolved around a girl named Moegi, who possessed the rare Wood Release kekkei genkai. While it was challenging to definitively determine her Senju heritage due to the rarity of wood manipulation within the clan, Homura couldn't shake the belief that she had a connection to the Senju bloodline.

Given Moegi's age—either three or four years old—Homura reasoned that she likely frequented the village's playgrounds. However, with Konohagakure's vast size and his limited free time due to his academy and work commitments, the likelihood of finding her remained slim.

Lost in his research, Homura unexpectedly stumbled upon information about a piece of information that was probably even more surprising, even if he found the information he wanted.

Nonetheless, that was not the detail that took Homura by surprise.

But quite possibly shattered his understanding of the world he found himself in.

Homura: "…Kurama…district?"

Kurama…

Kurama was the true name of the nine tails, a being created by the sage of 6 paths, Haguromo Otsutsuki.

However, the number of people that could potentially have that information available to them could be counted on one hand, probably one finger when excluding Homura.

Besides the tailed beast knowing that name, that name could only refer to someone else, rather something else.

To be fair there could be other people with that name, nonetheless in Konohagakure, it also meant something else.

It was the name belonging to a small clan.

The Kurama clan.

A clan that only appeared or was mentioned once in a filler arc.

Which meant that those events may have happened in the original story, but most likely did not.

However, the proof of their existence was right in front of his eyes.

The fact they existed in filler did not mean they did not exist in the original story, In fact, a character called Raiga had originally appeared in the TV series and then appeared in the anime.

Showing that the anime and the manga were intertwined or at least they shared a lot of common points, even if they were different and contradicted themselves.

The revelation of this finding was beyond mind-shattering.

It could mean jutsus, characters, weapons, powers, and all other types of things he ignored and didn't know about could happen as well.

Adding to the increase of a foreboding feeling he was experiencing; so much that he almost felt like he couldn't breathe.

Homura: "(C-Calm down, Homura. This doesn't mean the Kurama clan exist the same as in the anime…)"

Homura was right.

The fact that the Kurama clan may or not exist in its current shape did not mean that everything would be similar or that the other things from different Naruto media were all true.

In fact, Homura himself wasn't even completely sure that he lived in the same Naruto story as the one portrayed on TV or the one he had read in the manga in his previous life.

Sarutobi Hiruzen basically never showed up in front of Naruto, Naruto himself was a bit different from what Homura thought he should be.

Several characters from his orphanage were in the same class, and Homura himself existed; which was a hard pill to swallow.

Was there even a character like Homura, a descendant of the Uchiha clan roaming free in the original series without ever finding out his true heritage? Or was it too diluted for him to ever awaken it?

So many questions Homura had but just ignored them since he was not going to get an answer ever.

His existence had already changed the history of the world quite a bit.

He trained with Might Guy.

Might Guy was an essential character for the future of the world, but that may come out worse because he decided to waste time on Homura.

Not that the latter cared or thought too deeply, it was clear to Homura that Might Guy was not his actual sensei but more of an uncle that is a bit too nice and nosy for his own good.

Regardless, Homura initially attributed these minor changes to his own interference but it is unlikely that his interferences had anything to do with the Kurama clan's creation or their recent history.

So, if this was the real Kurama clan as portrayed in the anime…then perhaps the world is much larger than Homura had initially thought.

Homura had previously joked when he was younger about leaving the continent he was living, to go to another with a character named Temujin…but if those events that happened in a movie were really going to happen, and events in other types of Naruto media as well…then perhaps leaving the village at some point in time as Homura previously planned to avoid the destruction that would be caused by Nagato…was a good idea.

Perhaps leaving the entire country is a better idea than just leaving the village behind as he previously believed would be a smart choice.

The village hidden in the leaf had been attacked far more times than the 2 times portrayed in the manga, staying here to live those events would be foolish, worse they would be a waste of time.

Since more powerful people than he could realistically see himself as stronger than, would inhabit the village.

Mainly the 5th Hokage.

Tsunade.

A medical ninja that was a direct descendant of Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage and the person who used wood style to create the village.

If legends are to be believed.

But to Homura who knew how strong the 1st Hokage truly was, staying in the village during the ploy concocted or finding it out during the war arc to truly see his full power…if the Kurama truly existed and he could perhaps use those abilities to his advantage, then perhaps he had a better alternative within the grasp of his hands.

Than simply blindingly looking for a little girl whose powers will never reach the level of Hashirama Senju.

Curiosity overwhelmed Homura as he turned to C, the voice of the supercomputer skill within his mind.

Homura: "C, show me everything you know about the Kurama clan. I need to understand their past, their abilities, everything."

C: "Request: Analyzing available data. Standby."

It didn't take even 2 seconds before Homura was shown everything about the Kurama clan he had within his memories, through clips, statements, and hypotheses.

However, to appear like a complete madman trying to touch and grasp things in the air that were not there Homura used books and scrolls as a cover to not attract attention to his actions.

The people present on this floor were still shinobi, one wrong move or strange statement out loud would bring him a wave of new problems.

Homura sat in the library, surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls. Frustration etched on his face as he flipped through the pages, searching for answers that were clearly not on any of the texts present.

Suddenly, the clerk approached him, interrupting his thoughts.

Clerk: "Excuse me, young sir, but your time here is almost over. The library will be closing soon."

Homura glanced at the clock on a wall to his right, realizing how quickly the hours had passed. He sighed, knowing he had limited time to gather the information he needed.

Homura: "I understand. Thank you. Just 20 more minutes, please."

Clerk: "I'm sorry, but we must prepare to close. You can always return next time."

Homura: "Right, next time…(As if it was that simple…) I see just give me a few minutes to put everything in order."

The clerk looking at all the books near Homura didn't really want to have to put them in their original spot by herself, so she ultimately agreed.

Clerk:" Alright, but next time you should try to put the books back 30 minutes before closing time."

Homura: "Sorry my bad…it's my first time."

It wasn't.

But it was enough for the clerk to leave Homura to his own devices.

Homura's mind raced, realizing that he couldn't afford to leave almost empty-handed in that particular subject. He needed more information, especially about the Kurama clan available in this place. Determined, he decided to seek help from the one resource that mostly always failed him.

Homura: "C, I need your assistance."

C: "Agreement: Host orders are absolute."

Homura: "…Tell me everything you know about the Kurama clan from today's data you've gathered. Find the more likely place their clan is located."

C: "Understood."

As Homura anxiously waited, he couldn't help but think about the challenges that lay ahead. Infiltrating Yakumo Kurama's house or clan seemed like the most viable option, but it wouldn't be easy. He wondered if C would uncover any information that could aid him in his mission.

C: "Findings: I have retrieved the available information on the Kurama clan. They were once renowned for producing powerful shinobi and possessed a unique kekkei genkai."

Homura: "What is their kekkei genkai capable of? (I think it was some kind of genjutsu or something similar to it?)"

C: "Their kekkei genkai allows them to cast a genjutsu so realistic that the victim feels the damage in real life. The sensory overload caused by the illusion can be fatal."

Homura's eyes widened with both intrigue and concern. The power of the Kurama clan's kekkei genkai was astonishing, but he knew there must be drawbacks.

Genjutsu that powerful were rare, much less be used by anyone.

Most genjutsu had very little impact on the person, just one that made someone fall asleep was not easy to effectively cast, and some that trapped someone in some illusionary world could easily be broken by outside stimulus or one to disturb one's chakra.

If it could kill the victim it meant they were fully immersed in whatever they were experiencing, either because they were unable to distinguish reality from fiction or the brain was experiencing the illusion to such a degree that it reflected any damage taken as real.

Homura: "(I thought it was powerful…but it can also kill the person it was cast on? That's certainly on another level… ) Are there any limitations or disadvantages to their abilities?"

C: "Yes, indeed. The Kurama clan members are known to have weaker physical bodies due to their genetics, which make them more adept in yin release and illusory powers. Additionally, there's a presence known as the ID monster, which manifests more frequently in the main family. This could pose a significant challenge."

Homura:"ID monster? show me."

C: "Understood"

As soon as Homura uttered those words, the picture of Yakumo Kurama and her ID monster appeared.

The atrocious figure of the monster was a sight to be seen, it seemed like a partial transformation of Yakumo since it had some of her features and wore her clothes, and quite powerful as it had been able to restrain a jonin such as Kurenai Yui.

One of the few jonins who was a genjutsu specialist.

A ninja whose prowess in genjutsu was superior to most ninjas.

It was truly a powerful monster beyond common sense.

It seemed physically weak but nonetheless, if one was caught in its world, it would be troublesome.

Even Homura didn't believe that he would not be trapped in its genjutsu even with the powers and protection granted to him by his sharingan.

The sooner he got to her the safer it would ultimately be for him, a stronger Yakumo, and the more likely getting the drop on that monster inside of the small girl.

It was the first time knew exactly how to proceed.

She was both harmless and dangerous, one wrong move and things would end up for the worst.

He couldn't exactly explain to anyone why he would target a civilian of all things, a dangerous civilian but a civilian nonetheless.

Homura pondered the information, weighing the risks and rewards. The prospect of acquiring Yakumo's blood, despite the difficulties, seemed increasingly enticing. He knew he had to find a way to get close to her.

Homura: " I see. I have to make a new plan. Yakumo Kurama will be my focus. I will do whatever it takes to obtain her blood."

C: "Warning: There are currently no effective measures that could be used to indicate the best manner to proceed. Proceed with caution, Homura. Infiltrating her house or clan won't be an easy task."

Homura: "I am aware of that…Depending on the situation it may take months of scouting or worse, but I won't let that deter me. It's my best option to get rid of them."

The image of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito flashed inside Homura's mind, as he bit his lower lip, causing blood to pour out as he almost crushed the book he was holding in his hands.

Homura: "(Kurama Yakumo…I… for my sake… I hope that you do exist within this world…)"

Homura's eyes almost flashed red as he made a vow to get everything he needed from his next target. He was not completely certain how he would proceed.

Hurt her, even asking were all probabilities that he was considering.

He had debated that if he could receive others' DNA without the hope of rejection, perhaps the opposite was also true.

Dando had injected himself with Shin Uchiha's arm in order to use a series of sharingans and Hashirama cells to get stronger; the fact he was even able to accomplish such a feat was indicative that he had only accomplished to do as much due to Shin's DNA.

However, Homura never found the need to do as much since he had no one he wanted to share his powers with, especially since he still knew so little about them.

Nonetheless, Yakumo seemed to suffer from a weak body constitution as he did long ago, perhaps his blood could be used as a bargaining chip. …though it could also make the monster inside her exponentially stronger, and even kill him.

The entire ordeal was hard to wrap his mind around or even know what she was truly capable of.

She was the worst time of threat, one that did not even realize that she was one; to everyone around her.

Sadly, she had the power that Homura needed above all else; regardless of the matter, he could not ignore her even if he wanted to.

He hated having to depend on others' powers in order to achieve his goals, but a power such as Yakumo's was difficult to ignore.

Chapter end