-...I challenge you Homura! (???)

A surprised Homura, was shocked beyond belief by what he had just heard.

Not because it was his first proper challenge. He had been challenged many times throughout his short life. Mostly due to his own fault and in this world being challenged is just normal every day among brats, that think they are warriors... and perhaps a few silly adults.

However, this time it was different.

This time he had no idea why the individual in front of him went as far as challenging him.

In fact, he could not stop himself from wondering how it had gotten to this point, however, if Homura had one saving grace is that he was no coward.

Rather, the reason as to why he tended to run away from others, wasn't because he was scared of conflict, Homura prided himself as a contrarian, in other words an assh*le. The reality of it was much more simple, he just didn't want to be dragged around by others but this time there was no way to escape...at least not indefinitely.

Still, he refused to be indulged in anyone's pace; so he'd wanted nothing but to leave however it didn't seem that the individual in front of him was going to let him go without a fight or at the very least ignored.

-....now, this is truly unexpected.

How did it get to this point?

For that, it is necessary to rewind time a few minutes back and see how everything unfolded.

- A few minutes earlier that day -

Across a small forest within the village of Konohagakure, stood a lonesome figure advancing slowly through the thick abundance of greenery and the uneven path ahead of themselves.

The figure seemed to be having problems just keeping themselves walking at a steady rate or even straight.

With each breath and every single step they took, they seemed more tired and nauseous.

So was one way to describe Homura's efforts on the route leading back to the orphanage.

He just had escaped from Guy's so-called curry recipe, which was more of a training regiment with having to eat curry at the end after all was said and done.

He thought he'd at least get to have free curry after all that workout, and he did but putting his body through so much pain was not worth the effort.

- Urgh... My body hurts everywhere... It was definitely not worth the effort. (Best curry my ass! Its taste was cheap, like something from a can. No amount of fatigue and pain could fool me.)

Though it was a painful exercise for Homura, Might Guy did not feel the same. He used to do the same training when he was Homura's age.

Proving that Homura was still lacking when compared to a younger version of Guy.

When he heard the entire story he almost fell down to his death, from how shocked he was.

It wasn't because he thought he was far beneath Guy's level or anything, he knew that his generation was not as prepared for combat as the previous generations.

Previous generations seemed to be more heavily trained than his.

By the time Kakashi graduated from the academy, he was still 5 years old.

Not only it was proof of his abundant level of talent but also the fruits of his training at the time. Though, it was probable that he was allowed to graduate early due to the village being short in manpower or that they were afraid that if he remained at the academy; his talent and time might be squandered.

However, the entire truth of the matter is something that only all parties involved are fully aware of. 

Regardless, it is undeniable that it was far easier to graduate in previous decades.

All of Kakashi's classmates seemed to have graduated prior to the age of 12, so it was a given that shinobi during times of war or heavy conflict are trained more harshly but also, it might be that students at the time had different requirements in order to graduate.

Or at the very least, their curriculum is somewhat more geared toward pushing students to graduate at a faster rate.

Compared to them, most of the kids about Homura's age, just spend most of their time playing around the village, so such a revelation was not beyond the realm of possibilities.

However, the fact that this training regiment was classified by Guy as just light exercise for a 5-year-old Might Guy, shocked Homura beyond belief.

Just how much mental fortitude could a child with no specific genetic amplifications or advantages, be able to handle to carry out such a training regiment?

His psyche had to beyond the level of what is considered normal.

It was a scary thought for Homura.

Guy's strength of will and tenacity was beyond what he had previously believed, learning the 8th gates techniques must be hell, or demand an inhuman amount of dedication or self-discipline without a certain level of talent, if Guy had to endure so much throughout his life.

Perhaps it was one way to go about it, but Homura lacked the confidence that he could go through with such a thing.

Though he wanted power, it didn't mean he was willing or wanted to go about things the normal way. I.e. training.

Otherwise, he would have chosen different cheats altogether. Rather, he wanted to go about it in a simpler way, such as using available technologies, genetics, and ninjutsu.

If Guy was able to train this much by age of 5, and if he did increase the amount of training he could perform per day at a steady rate, then why was Kakashi able to keep up with him psychically throughout most of the story? 

There had to be a better way to get stronger. Kakashi wasn't even from a clan that was famous for a specific genetic ability.

Perhaps, if he continued on with Guy's way of getting stronger, he could become a great ninja. Or at least strong enough to survive within the ninja world for a time. However, what was a great ninja when compared to a god, or beings that can completely destroy an entire world?

Even if he wanted to continue gaining power through a normal path, his body would soon or later give out. 

Making his efforts to be a waste of time, worse he would be wasting his potential to become stronger.

This wasn't a world where people got stronger merely by fighting stronger opponents or through arduous training.

A person's genetic makeup was what ultimately allowed for one to inherit great power or at the very least the possibility to get much stronger than the average person.

Whatever goals and aspirations Might Guy may have, they were simply not the same as Homura's aspirations.

To Homura, having outranked Sasuke and Naruto in their race had given him hope that his training had paid off, however, by analyzing the entire situation he realized it may not have been the case completely.

-(... I can't believe I ranked first! I beat Sasuke and Naruto. Even if technically I passed out before the latter...)

However, if he continued to walk towards the same path all he could hope for is trying to catch up to the other 2, much less outperform them.

-(...If what Guy-san said is true, then he would have beaten them as well.)

Though, Guy lost to Kakashi and failed to make it into the initial cut of his version for the academy tryouts. From Homura's memories, it was unclear how much or when exactly Guy's own talent and effort managed to pay off.

Even opening the 1st gate demanded a lot of effort and talent for someone to be able to do it. 

Regardless, Guy could not have been too far behind Kakashi's level at the time, since Sakumo Hatake, Kakashi's late father, had predicted that the proctors at the academy would soon give Guy another chance in order to be selected as a student for the academy.

It was understandable, to Homura as well.

He had seen a similar thing on the exam.

Naruto, who didn't seem to particularly train or had any special talent for becoming a shinobi was able to keep up with him and even managed to outlast Sasuke as well.

He didn't believe such a thing would be possible, but when people are pushed past their limits, it seemed that in this world some could tap into greater strength or aptitude far beyond what they are able to normally accomplish.

Naruto as the jinchuriki of the nine tails and a descendant of the Uzumaki clan always had the genes and the strength within himself to surpass all those present during the tryouts.

At least physically.

Though he was clearly at the end of the day just a normal child, that would get tired from exerting himself more than usual, otherwise, he would have won easily.

He had better genes for physical prowess than those present, at least when compared to most; Uchihas usually have high physical prowess above most.

The fact that some children, mainly those coming from prominent clans were expected to do far better than those from a common background, seemed to be a given.

Homura had realized that a lot of proctors were paying close attention to students from clans or famous parents or relatives more than others.

This fact alone was also one of his real main reason as to why he refused to lose.

Feigning mediocrity was something Homura's heart cannot accept.

He knew that what he did during the tryouts was more trouble than it was worth, but being looked down upon was a hard pill to swallow.

Just remembering the events of the tryouts left a sour taste in Homura's mouth.

- (...it was as if I was invisible... they saw nothing in me, I could tell. All those b*stards at the academy were paying only attention to those belonging to a clan or had famous parents... their eyes didn't even seem to register me at all... I can't believe that they dared to look down upon me!... I really, don't like it.)

In the ninja world, strength equals reputation and at the same time expectation.

The next generation, at least for those related to famous individuals, were expected to outperform their forefathers.

Even if one was talented in their own right, if they could not outdo their more famous relatives, they were often doomed to live in their shadow.

Or be seen as an inferior copy/less talented.

It didn't even have to be a relative.

If one was not talented enough when compared to a peer within the same class or background they would be outshone.

The same happened to Homura, and the other children at the tryouts.

Sasuke was the rookie to beat at the tryouts or the goal they had to surpass.

The son of Uchiha Fugaku, the patriarch of the Uchiha clan; as well as the younger brother of Uchiha Itachi. A genius, said to be compared to the likes of the 4th Hokage during his stay at the academy.

Many still at the Academy cannot help themselves but remember Itachi, since they were also part of the staff at the time. Seeing his younger brother brought forth expectation that he would be similar to his older brother.

It was unavoidable for the proctors in charge to expected great things from such a participant, it was just how culture among shinobi had evolved.

Even though many an heirs and children from common birth applicants did manage to outperform past what would be expected of them, if they did not out performed the one that was expected to be the star of the tryouts, they were relatively forgotten.

Not every academy teacher was patient enough or accorded the same amount of attention to all their students.

It's simply how the world works.

Most are lost in the background as their more talented peers manage to outshine them.

Though most proctors did put a front, as to not let children realize, though Homura was among the few children who did and truly understood what was going on.

It was subtle, but Homura can be pretty keen on picking up small details and his mindset was far more intuitive than his peers; since by now he had definitely over 20 years worth of available memories and experiences of similar nature. Even though he had problems reconciling his previous life and the one he was currently living since, so many personal memories were still missing. Leaving him with the mindset of a childish edgy early teen at best.

- (... to think Naruto has to face far worse gazes...every day...I gave him too little credit... he truly is something else... The strength of mind of children in this world is to be admired.)

Homura as an orphan in this world, was used to people looking down on him somewhat.

Children like himself are everywhere.

They are a common occurrence.

Most hardly knew he existed or paid attention to him, so expecting anything from him was beyond reasonable. 

It was something he had to compromise his feelings about, complaining would be useless, or worse, it would be seen as pathetic and childish.

The pathetic attempt for relevance and attention from a weak-minded person.

For all his abilities and skills that he had gained, Homura, was weak.

However, that did not mean he was weak-willed otherwise he would have given up trying to get more powerful, much less enduring Might Guy's peculiar training regiment.

Though when it came to physical strength, it was true that he was weak.

It was something he didn't want to admit, but it was simply true.

He's a child.

A not-so-simple, but a normal child at the end of the day.

Doesn't matter how much he may train physically, if he cannot use chakra properly to augment his own strength he is just an above-average robust child.

Though children as young as himself can be stronger than most adults, it is usually not because they outclass the adults due to pure mastery over ninja arts, but it is just that often these children possess something that defies general logic. Which is often the case for children with a Kekkei genkai.

Homura supposedly had 3 of those, however, he was unable to use 2 of them.

The only one he could use was perhaps not a kekkei Genkai but a pure form mutation or abnormality that was passed down by an ancestor in his bloodline.

In any case, it didn't particularly make him stronger. It could do as such if the conditions were favorable, but in reality, it was far more complicated than that.

So at the end of the day, he was still weak and powerless,

That was something that weighed on him... every day; like an obsession.

He had no other choice but to accept this fact of life, everyone at the orphanage knew that reality as well; so it was never too hard for him to let go of the anger burning inside his heart from refusing to admit to his own powerlessness.

... there was nothing he could do... at least for now.

That was what he kept telling himself. Less as if he was trying to convince himself or accept that he was unable to escape from the shackles of fate.

That was why he tried so much to become stronger and distinguish from others at his orphanage.

He wanted to make a name for himself.

Just like Naruto, a part of him wanted to be acknowledged.

Perhaps, it was due to never standing out in his previous life too much and having to share everything in this life, or his desire to become the strongest version of himself that he could, but it did not change the fact at the end of the day he wanted for people to recognize him somewhere deep down,

Thankfully for Homura, his orphanage did seem not under the influence of Danzo, otherwise, by now, he would be a mess.

His orphanage was far from the center of the village, but nowhere near as far away as Kabuto was in the anime and manga. He wasn't even sure if that orphanage was within the village due to how little it was shown.

If he was put in the same position as Kabuto, he would have never done what he did; in the anime. No matter how hard he wished it not to be true.

But knowing the fate that lay ahead of that path, it would only be a death sentence coupled with subservience.

What good is having power, if one could not use it for himself and all he could do in the end is be the tool of someone else's? And ultimately be discarded?

He knew that he was already pushing his luck by being on friendly terms with Naruto, so showing a lot of talent at a young age; would really put him in more potential danger.

-(...Well, enough thinking for now. I need to go back home and digest this awful meal I just had.)

Homura got close enough to his destination to see the orphanage after walking for another 30 minutes. So much so that he could already his house from far way, he could not but help himself let out a sigh of relief. 

The thought of lying in bed and taking a real shower after the last time he took one; was already allowing him to get rid of some of his fatigue.

Both in mind and body. 

However, not even 5 minutes passed by before he was stopped in his tracks.

- Homura! (???)

A voice calling out his name came from his left.

Though he wanted to be recognized, usually when people called out his name was because of something bad or people he wanted to avoid above all.

Thus, Homura was both shocked and somewhat intrigued at the same time, since he had no idea who called out to him since all he could see was a sea of seemingly endless bamboo trees.

But that voice did sound somewhat familiar.

However, he did not have to wait long to put a face to that voice since behind a tree nearby, came out a very familiar figure.

The figure of a boy with a rather annoyed look, someone he could never mistake for anybody else since they had been sharing a room for years.

-...Uryuu... (can't say I expected to meet him... why did call out to me? He usually never wants to even look in my direction recently...)

Out of all the people in the orphanage, Uryuu was among the very few that did not congratulate or tease him after the academy tryouts.

Homura even thought he was mad at him for somewhat ruining the tryouts with the little stunt he pulled near the end.

So for him to suddenly call out to Homura, was something that Homura thought to be quite unsettling as of now, in fact, it was outright bizarre and unexpected.

Not that Uryuu cared or knew as to what was going through Homura's head, as Uryuu continued to get closer to Homura until they came face to face.

It was overall a tense atmosphere making Homura his last train of thought.

-...what do you want?- asked Homura as he did not let Uryuu have the first word.

Though, his question was quite honest as Homura was truly confused about what Uryuu wanted from him.

They may have been on friendly terms in the past, but as time went by; their relationship began to sour.

But nothing could have prepared Homura for what would come next.

-...I challenge you Homura! (Uryuu)

These were the words that Uryuu uttered while pointing at his left hand's index finger.

-...well, this was unexpected...

Chapter end