Chapter 135: A race against time.

It had been several days since Umino Iruka had taken on the role of Naruto's homeroom teacher. The academy's daily routines and lessons carried on as usual, settling into the familiar rhythm of an average year.

Yet, amid the backdrop of normalcy, an unsettling change had taken place. A couple of days ago, Naruto had abruptly stopped attending class. His absence left a void, his empty seat serving as a constant reminder of his absence.

Homura's gaze shifted to the vacant spot next to him, his thoughts wandering back to a distant memory of Naruto, his head resting on the desk, snoozing during class. For a fleeting moment, Homura almost believed that memory was real, and an instinctual urge to reach out to his childhood friend surged within him. But he quickly shook off the sentiment, attempting to rationalize his decision.

"Is this really for the best?" Homura pondered silently, grappling with conflicting emotions. He understood the significance of Naruto's role as the child of prophecy, bearing the burden of the Nine-Tailed Fox within him. Naruto possessed a resilience and strength that Homura somewhat admired and was envious of.

He never truly backed down.

It was annoying an annoying quality that Homura hated in Naruto, but he begrudgingly had no other choice but to respect the boy's tenacity and determination to never give up.

Few people could back up their claim, or truly show who they are for all to see.

So Homura believed that he had no other choice but to see it through as well.

It was an event that could be avoided due to Homura's knowledge of the future.

Though it wouldn't be any good if he did, besides, he believed that he also needed the events that would transpire as well.

"But for me," Homura continued his inner monologue, "I won't have another opportunity like this for a long time. This chance to observe events as they unfold and learn from them."

Just as Homura was about to delve deeper into his contemplations, his senses alerted him to the presence of someone approaching. It was Hyuga Hinata, who had stopped by his desk, her gentle demeanor contrasting with the concern etched on her face.

"Um, Homura-kun... Do you know if Naruto is doing well?" Hinata asked timidly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Homura turned his attention to Hinata, momentarily distracted from his internal musings. He met her gaze, his expression guarded yet sympathetic.

"I have no idea, Hyuga-san.

"I-I see." Said Hinata with a sad expression on her face.

Homura sighed softly, his brows furrowing. Ready to talk to a disheartened Hinata that was about to go to her seat. " Hyuga-san."

Hearing her name being called out, Hinata turned back toward the voice who called her out, which was none other than Homura; who felt bad for lying to the poor girl in such a moment.

"I haven't had a chance to check on him. I've been busy with work after classes. But I plan on checking on him tomorrow."

Hinata nodded understandingly, a small smile appearing on her face. "I understand. Thank you, Homura-kun." She returned to her seat, her gaze lingering on Naruto's empty spot.

Homura taking notice of her glare towards Naruto's empty seat sighed and thought to himself that Naruto is sure popular for a guy with seemingly no true friends.

Several minutes passed by and the classroom started to get fuller as more students entered, most of the empty were now taken by the incoming wave of students pouring in.

Saya and Toshio entered the classroom together, their arrival catching Homura's attention. Toshio was the first to speak up, his tone friendly yet tinged with curiosity.

"Yo, Homura! Huh!? Naruto is absent again? He hasn't been around for a while," Toshio inquired, his genuine concern for Naruto evident in his voice.

Saya, standing next to Toshio, chimed in with a kind smile. "Yes, we were actually wondering about Naruto. Is he okay? We haven't seen him in a few days."

Homura wondered why people kept asking him about Naruto, as far as he knew he wasn't Naruto's best friend, even good friends would be a stretch but he was surprised that both expressed concern for Naruto.

"I'm not sure where Naruto is," Homura replied honestly. "He's alright. If anything he is quite tough. He's probably just feeling a little bit under the weather. I will check on him tomorrow."

Toshio nodded understandingly, while Saya's eyes reflected a mixture of empathy and worry. "I hope he's just taking some time off and nothing serious happened. Naruto may have a unique way of doing things, but he's a good-hearted person," Saya said, her voice filled with genuine care. "I remember our first meeting wasn't the best, but I genuinely hope we can all get to know each other better, including Naruto."

Homura then proceeded to exchange banter with Saya and Toshio for a while before the two ultimately went to their assigned seats as the time to start class was only less than 5 minutes away.

The chatter and laughter filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere. Homura, however, remained lost in his thoughts, his mind preoccupied with the future events he had glimpsed.

"Hmm, interesting..." Homura muttered to himself, reviewing the upcoming events in his mind. "There's another event that could change Naruto and Iruka's relationship for the better. I must avoid interfering to ensure it plays out as it should."

Just as Homura was deep in contemplation, Umino Iruka, their teacher, entered the classroom and made his way to the podium. His expression held a mix of concern and determination.

"Homura, have you seen Naruto today?" Iruka inquired, his voice filled with worry.

"No, I haven't." Homura replied truthfully, his gaze meeting Iruka's.

Shikamaru, who had heard the entire conversation, couldn't help but interject. "I saw Naruto this morning. He was heading towards the back hills," he stated matter-of-factly.

To most of those currently present the backhills were an area they would go to train or for similar things, but many avoided it since it was quite dangerous. There were traps everywhere and wild animals sometimes managed to enter without no one noticing. Though to Homura it was the area where he first met Might Guy as he tried to catch the jonin's attention.

Hibachi, one of their classmates seating in the row before Shikamaru's, tried to stop him from revealing more, but it was too late. The words had slipped out.

"He went there because of your prank, Hibachi," Shikamaru said, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Kuh!" Hibachi, cornered, had no way to refute Shikamaru's words.

Thankfully for him, Iruka's concern deepened as he processed the information. "The back hills... Everyone, stay in class, you'll have a self-study session. I'll go get Naruto myself," he declared, his tone filled with determination as he hurriedly exited the room.

He had heard that enemy shinobi had infiltrated that zone and were now hiding there, if Naruto were to truly go there at the moment, that could spell some real trouble for the oblivious troublemaker.

Seizing the opportunity presented, Homura made a quick decision. He slipped out of the classroom, unnoticed by his classmates who were still absorbed in their discussions and activities.

Once outside, Homura's mind focused on the task at hand. He needed to find Naruto and ensure his safety. Seeking guidance, he reached out to C, the artificial intelligence that served as his partner.

"C, do you have any information on Naruto's location?" Homura asked, his voice laced with urgency.

C's response was disheartening. "Answer: Uzumaki Naruto is too far for me to detect," C replied, in its usual robotic voice.

"Tch! This is bad." Homura thought as he tried to recall the events of the recording he saw. According to the recording, Nara Shikamaru and Aburame Choji will skip class and meet with Kakashi and they will inform him of the events that transpired.

If he took too long, the entire event may end before Homura has a chance to find out what really happened.

He couldn't waste too much time.

The backhills were immense, full of tall luscious trees and traps, it was not an area one could simply wander in and hope to find what they were looking for, and Naruto, as poor as his grades were, was still a trained cadet. He would not leave an obvious trail that lead to him for Homura to follow.

"I guess I have no choice but to try to look myself." Homura thought as he reached a consensus on what to do.

Homura took a deep breath, trying to think of an alternative approach. "Can you at least tell me the direction he was heading before leaving your range?" he pressed, hoping for a lead.

"It was northeast," C responded, providing a small glimmer of hope.

Homura's mind raced as he pieced together the information. Iruka didn't have the exact direction Naruto went, but Shikamaru's mention of the back hills aligned with the northeast direction provided by C.

"If I hurry," Homura thought to himself, "I should be able to catch up or at least get close to where the next events will happen."

Homura continued his fast-paced journey, swiftly navigating through the bustling streets of the village. The sights and sounds of the city gradually faded as he approached the outskirts, the urban landscape giving way to the serene tranquility of the surrounding forest.

With each stride, Homura felt a surge of anticipation, knowing that he was drawing closer to his destination. Finally, he arrived at the edge of the forest, the dense foliage beckoning him forward.

Pausing for a moment to catch his breath, Homura surveyed his surroundings, taking in the scent of nature and the gentle rustle of leaves. The forest whispered secrets, and he knew he had to proceed with caution.

Homura: C, any new information on Naruto's location?

C: Anwer: Negative! I still cannot detect Naruto's exact whereabouts. He remains elusive within my range.

Homura: Keep trying, C. We can't afford to lose track of him. Notify me immediately if you detect any changes.

C: Understood.

Homura thought in his mind that this situation could not be happening as of now, he had no idea that C's range was so short. In the center, it didn't matter, since everyone lived rather close to each and Homura's DNA was spread all over the city just by living there but the woods were different.

It was too far, the rain and wildlife made it difficult for Homura to truly know where Naruto may have gone.